Robotech Drabbles
by dwparsnip
Summary: I am still around. I've decided to try some Robotech Drabbles to see if can locate my misplaced Robotech muse…I'm sure it's around here somewhere. These are inspired by alittlesummerwine's Justice League drabbles. If you're a JL fan, go read them.
1. Rank

For the record, I don't own Robotech. Damn it.

Spoilers for Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles.

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Drabble 1 - Rank.

Rick watched Lisa as she stood there looking radiant in her new ambassadorial robes and smiled. Sure it meant that commanding the REF fell to him, but he knew that her new role was equally as important and difficult.

Through the respect and unwavering and soul encompassing love he felt for her, a thought appeared and he frowned.

She noticed. "What's wrong, Rick?"

Rick sighed. "I just realized, Madame Ambassador, that you will always outrank me."

Lisa smiled, walked over to him and kissed him lightly. In a sultry whisper she said, "That was guaranteed the day you married me."


	2. Destiny

Drabble 2 - Destiny

Veritech. It was an amazing word for an amazing machine.

He was the only officer at the first ever technical briefing not to call it impossible to build and fly…besides Gloval and Lang of course.

And when the first mock up was done, he was the only one who had the shine in his eyes that said that he truly believed.

Then, when the prototype was wheeled out onto the tarmac for the first time, he was the only one worthy, on the basis of skill and his sheer faith in the machine, to fly it.

It was Roy's destiny.


	3. Blue

I'm on the trail of the elusive muse…at least I'm thinking about stuff now. Thanks ALSW, AddictedtoTsuzukiTatsumi and SithKnight-Galen for your reviews.

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Drabble 3 – Blue.

Blue was his favorite color and always had been, so when they offered him his choice of Veritechs he picked a blue one.

When Veritechs were replaced by Alphas, his was blue.

When he was promoted and given an office, he wasn't asked. It was just painted blue.

A rookie pilot asked him one day why he loved blue so much.

He turned on the young man with fire in his eyes and responded with, "It's been a lucky color for me."

Four squadrons painted their Alphas blue the next day, and many more squadrons did the same shortly thereafter.


	4. Timing

Drabble 4 - Timing

Rick often wondered when it was that he fell in love with Lisa. It wasn't when he first saw her or when he joined the RDF or when he saved her from Moon Base Sara. It was after all of that.

It was before Khyron's last attack, he knew. Before their ruined picnic. Maybe before battling Dolza's armada.

He just couldn't figure out exactly when.

So when one day she asked when it was that he fell in love with her, a light turned on in his head.

He held her tightly and said, "When I finally opened my eyes."


	5. Present

Drabble 5 - Present

Lisa walked into the main engineering section and approached the door marked with a sign that said, "Omega Level Clearance Only." It meant that Rick couldn't enter.

She walked in without hesitation to find Lang working feverishly to complete the task she had given him. He had complained bitterly that working on a birthday gift was a waste of his valuable time.

But she made it an order. It was Rick's present after all, and who else but Lang could build a three feet long remote control Veritech, fully functional in all three modes.

Rick was going to love it.


	6. Babysitting

A big thanks to those of you who have reviewed these little dribbles. :)

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Drabble 6 - Babysitting

"Tell me again why we're babysitting on Valentine's Day?" asked Rick as he ducked to avoid the teddy bear that seven year old Dana threw at him.

"Miriya said how she and Max haven't had a romantic Valentine's Day since Dana was born, so I volunteered us," responded Lisa as she picked up the cuddly projectile.

"Why?" he asked a little irritably.

Lisa walked towards him after settling Dana down on the couch with her favorite toy and looked at him with a smile on her face. "Miriya promised that she would return the favor when it was our turn."


	7. Promise

Okay...the muse is in my sights. These drabbles are helping, I think. Any requests? Give me one word, something like I've been using as the titles for these things and I'll see what I can come up with. And no nasty stuff either. Be nice.;)

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Drabble 7 - Promise

Four year old Roy Hunter giggled excitedly as he deliberately wrecked the block castle that he and Max had been carefully building for three hours.

Max held in his small groan of frustration, part of which had nothing to do with Roy's destroyed castle. He had been looking forward to a very nice, romantic night alone with his beautiful wife.

Apparently it was not to be.

"Tell me again why we volunteered to baby sit Roy," he asked Miriya.

Miriya smiled as she remembered a wonderful Valentine's Day long ago and who made it possible. "To keep a promise, Max."


	8. Heroism

This drabble courtesy of Doofus87, who suggested as a title "Heroic", "Heroism" or "Sacrifice". I hope you like it Doofus87. (I may try sacrifice too.)

Drabble 8 - Heroism.

Rick had often heard people call some of the things he did "acts of heroism" or "heroic". Even Lisa had called him a hero on more than one occasion.

Actually, she always said "her hero" which, of course, he was.

But Rick would never consider himself a hero. He did what he had to do. He did what needed to be done and he was just lucky enough to be able to do what had to be done.

The things that Roy and Gloval did, now they were heroic.

And Rick knew that he could never be Roy or Gloval.


	9. Sacrifice

Thanks for the suggestion Doofus87.

Drabble 9 – Sacrifice.

Lisa walked through the mass of refugees left by Khyron's last attack. The scenes were heartbreaking with parents frantically searching for their children and frightened children looking for their parents.

Then she saw Kyle. His voice was venomous. "Haven't you hurt these people enough? Haven't they sacrificed enough for you yet?"

Lisa shook her head sadly. "You have no idea of what sacrifice is, Kyle." She looked him in the eye. "I have lost so much already, and I would gladly sacrifice my life for these people. Would you?"

For the first time since she'd met him, Kyle was speechless.


	10. Coffee

This one's for you Caty. I received your review complimenting the humor in these little drabbles just as I posted a serious one, so I hope you find this one a little bit funny.

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Drabble 10 – Coffee

There was no denying it. It was essential to the proper operation of the men and women of the RDF. Without it, males and females alike simply failed to function at their peak efficiency. It didn't matter if it was the SDF-1 commander, the chief engineer or a pilot. It didn't matter if you worked on the bridge or the flight deck. It didn't matter if they were twenty or fifty.

If they didn't get it their work suffered, sometimes with catastrophic results.

Who would have thought that in the technologically advanced age of Robotechnology, coffee would be so important?


	11. Left

Drabble 11 – Left (as suggested by AddictedtoTsuzukiTatsumi)

It seemed as though everyone Lisa loved left her for one reason or another. It didn't matter who they were. Friends, family and lovers… they all left her to live her life all alone.

She could have argued that all those losses made her so strong that she would never again find a piece of her soul dying when someone else left her.

It was a foolish argument of course, and she knew it.

But when Rick looked at her so lovingly and promised that he would never leave her, she knew that she would never be left alone again.


	12. Remember

Drabble 12 – Remember (Courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Lisa remembered them daily.

Kim. Bless her, she always spoke her mind no matter what.

Sammie. Young, sweet and naïve, she always looked for the best in everything.

Vanessa. Shy, but outgoing when necessary, she was the glue that held the three of them together.

Claudia. The sister she never had by blood, their sisterhood was forged in times that would have shattered most people. She was her soul sister.

Gloval. The loving father her real father could never be. He saw her through the worst and treated her like the best.

She remembered them daily. They were her family.


	13. Legacy

Drabble 13 – Legacy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Rick rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands then stared at the report. It was an impossible decision for him to make, yet it fell to him.

Lisa hadn't offered any advice, and while he could really use some, the fact that she hadn't interfered showed her confidence in him. And that helped more than the advice would have.

He studied the projections again. The Neutron-S missiles would kill everything on the planet. The Earth would be freed, but rendered totally lifeless.

Freedom at all costs.

He wondered if it was a worthy legacy for the human race.


	14. Naive

Drabble 14 - Naive

He really did love her. She was young, sweet and beautiful. And when her voice helped conquer a race of giants, he couldn't help but feel something deeper than he had ever felt before.

He flew into the jaws of hell for her during Operation Starsaver. He would have done anything for her if she had asked, like letting her stay with him during **that** Christmas.

Yet, all of those feelings for Minmei paled compared to what he felt for Lisa. He watched Lisa brush out her long brown hair and smiled at his younger self for being so naïve.


	15. Red

Drabble 15 – Red (courtesy of RDFan)

Purple, grey and green were the colors the Zentraedi were exposed to the most, but Miriya always had an intimate familiarity with another color: red.

It was the color she saw when the battle alert sounded and the color of success, for when she spilled the red blood of her enemies, she was victorious.

After that day aboard the SDF-1, however, red took on a whole new significance.

It became the color she saw when Max spoke those three magic words to her. It was what she saw when he touched her.

For her, it was the color of love.


	16. Future

Drabble 16 - Future (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Combat pilots never thought about the future. Why waste energy thinking about a future you may never have because you got your ass blown out of the sky?

No, the future was the unofficial taboo, especially for Rick.

He managed to not ponder his future much until Minmei suggested they get married. A future with Minmei was a future that he really couldn't see.

When Lisa later told him she was leaving, for a second he thought about a future without Lisa in his life.

As Khyron's missiles rained down, he realized that that was a future he couldn't have.


	17. Wisdom

Drabble 17 – Wisdom (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

When Lisa thought of wisdom, her mind conjured up images of wise people like Gloval and Exedore.

She never considered herself wise. No one could deny she was intelligent, but she knew she was not wise.

And when Sue Graham attempted to seduce her husband aboard the SDF-3, her lack of wisdom was confirmed to her.

She didn't know what to do so she did nothing, until a friend shook her by the shoulders and told her to fight for Rick, that it was what they both desperately needed.

After that, when Lisa thought of wisdom, she thought of Miriya.


	18. Youth

Drabble 18 – Youth (courtesy of AddictedtoTsuzukiTatsumi). The Karen/Jack thing was one of the few things I liked from the McKinney books.:)

It started out innocently enough, as it did most times with those two. Karen Penn smiled at Jack Baker and Baker, being the quintessential male egomaniac that he was, took it as permission to say something incredibly stupid.

The situation quickly degraded into a name calling match worthy of being written into the history books, and lasted long enough for the two Admirals aboard ship to get to the hangar and observe the scene.

"I think they're in love," whispered Lisa.

"Looks like it," replied Rick. As he slipped his arm around his wife's shoulder he added thoughtfully, "Ah, youth."


	19. Defeat

Drabble 19 – Defeat (courtesy of RDFan)

Their Masters gave them all that they would need. They had been bred for war, bred to succeed in being the physical might behind their Masters will.

Their weapons were as advanced as any in the universe and were surpassed by none in regards to their destructive abilities.

Their training was extensive. Their tactics were sound. And what their awesome firepower, training and military knowledge could not overcome was easily conquered by their overwhelming numbers.

Yet, as Dolza watched the hundreds of missiles tear from the SDF-1 he faced the only thing the Masters never prepared the Zentraedi for: defeat.


	20. Cavalier

Drabble 20 – Cavalier (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Lisa cited many of Rick's unflattering traits when Claudia first dared to mutter that she thought Lisa was in love with Rick as reasons why she could not be in love with him.

It was ironic that one of the things about Rick that Lisa claimed to dislike was the cavalier attitude that he sometimes demonstrated, especially where her orders were concerned.

Yet, as Lisa felt Rick's hand underneath hers on the throttle as he flew them to the SDF-1 after rescuing her from Alaska Base, she realized that it was one of his traits that she loved the most.


	21. Redhead

Drabble 21 - Redhead

He watched her walk by and couldn't help but admire the lovely shade of her reddish-orange hair. Her long legs and curvy body were secondary. Her hair is what caught his attention.

He followed her with his eyes as she walked away until his line of sight drifted directly into the angry blue eyes of his dinner companion.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck nonchalantly and opened his mouth without thinking. "You know, you would look extremely sexy as a redhead."

Not even his exceptional reflexes could help him avoid the saltshaker that Karen threw hard at his head.


	22. Wounds

Drabble 22 – Wounds

Claudia sat alone in her living room holding Roy's picture in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Her long talk with Lisa, reminiscing about her and Roy's relationship opened up a lot of old wounds, some of which she had all but forgotten about.

All of which hurt, especially without Roy around to help heal them.

Her thoughts drifted to Rick and Lisa. She knew that they had inflicted painful wounds upon each other because of their stubbornness and thoughtlessness.

She just hoped that they would give themselves the chance to heal each other as well.


	23. Relief

Drabble 23 – Relief

The Zentraedi fleet had been destroyed and his ship made it back to the surface of their planet, setting down in a giant crater that may or may not have been there before.

He checked on Claudia, Kim, Sammie and Vanessa, and despite the fact that they were uninjured and the fact that they had won, he could not smile. There had been no word from Lisa.

But then Kim's panel beeped. When she told them all a moment later that Rick had rescued Lisa and they were coming home, Gloval sat in his chair and nearly sobbed in relief.


	24. Faith

Drabble 24 – Faith

Rick remembered his first promotion and the fear that came with the added responsibility.

He remembered questioning Roy about his readiness for that promotion, but Roy had enough faith for both of them.

It seemed to be funny for him to think about that at this particular time, but he wasn't sure he had enough faith in himself to take on this new role as the second highest ranking officer in the REF.

But when he looked across the table and saw the pride and love in Lisa's eyes, he knew she had enough faith for the both of them.


	25. SDF1

Drabble 25 – SDF-1

SDF-1.

Super Dimensional Fortress 1.

It was Zor's ship. His very own flagship that he sent to Earth to protect the last Protoculture matrix from those who would misuse it.

When it crashed it showed world leaders that there were greater threats out there than each other and it became a rallying point.

When it folded and took Macross Island with it to Pluto, it became sanctuary for seventy thousand people.

When Dolza came, the SDF-1 defeated his fleet and held within it the continuation of humanity.

Then it stood as a stalwart sentinel.

Harbinger. Unifier. Refuge. Ark. Protector.

SDF-1.


	26. Home

Drabble 26 – Home (courtesy of RDFan)

The REF was nearly ready to launch the final push to reclaim Earth and Rick thought about home.

The problem was the more he thought about it the more he wondered when it was that Earth stopped being his home. Sure he'd been away from Earth for many years, but it was where he came from. It should have been home.

A glance at the picture of Lisa he kept on his desk as he worked late one night was all it took to give him the answer.

Earth wasn't home for him anymore because that wasn't where Lisa was.


	27. Loyalty

Drabble 27 – Loyalty (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Breetai's assembled crew all looked eager to go about their business, and he could tell that they were uncomfortable because of him. Yet, he knew they were all loyal to him.

He dismissed them and thought about how his loyalty to the Robotech Masters had been nothing more than genetic programming.

His loyalty to Gloval, Lisa and Rick Hunter and the Micronian mission was a loyalty born of his own free will.

The difference was profound. For one he would give his life because of others. For the other, he would give it for others.

He definitely preferred the latter.


	28. Regret

Drabble 28 – Regret

It was his idea to use the Grand Canon, and though he was opposed by more than he expected, in the end he was victorious. Even his own daughter spoke against the plan, against his idea and his will.

He believed her to be naive.

It wasn't until the first volley of Zentraedi lasers hit that his faith in his own plan wavered.

After the fifth volley, as the command center was blown apart, the only thing Admiral Hayes could find to regret out of all he had done in his life, was being the cause of his daughter's death.


	29. Defense

Drabble 29 – Defense (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Rick tried many times over the years to figure out why he treated Lisa so badly in their early relationship.

There was Minmei, naturally. He had fallen for her and couldn't seem to shake her out of his system no matter what he tried.

There was the war. Really, the constant fighting was enough to put anyone on edge.

Lisa was his senior officer, and the fact that he liked doing things his own way meant they clashed constantly.

When it came right down to it though, he realized that the only defense he had was, "I'm just a guy."


	30. Finally

Drabble 30 – Finally (Sit. Room update coming…twelve pages done…almost there.)

Max watched with amusement as Rick struggled to stay still. He was nervous and Max couldn't blame him.

He was about to do something that was life altering. No longer could he come and go as he pleased, or stay out and go for a beer with the guys instead of heading home after a long patrol, or leave the toilet seat up.

But now he would never be alone, and that outweighed everything else. It had taken a lot to get here on this day, and as Lisa walked down the aisle towards them Max heard Rick whisper, "Finally."


	31. Beautiful

Drabble 31 – Beautiful (Holy Crap! 31)

Lisa looked at herself side on in the mirror and sighed. It went without saying that she was happy, beyond happy actually. Her right hand slid down her rounded belly and she sighed. If only being pregnant didn't involve her stomach ballooning out like a beach ball.

"I'm fat," she said dejectedly.

"You're beautiful," came Rick's instant reply from behind her. A moment later he cuddled into her back and his arms went around her waist so his hands could rest on her stomach.

"In fact," he whispered lovingly, "you have never been more beautiful than you are right now."


	32. Sex

Drabble 32 – Sex (Any more suggestions out there?)

When the subject of sex first came up, Miriya wasn't sure what to think. She had no idea what it was having been born in a test tube.

When Max first explained what sex actually was, she was certain he was making the whole thing up. When she realized that he was serious, that everything he described was factual, she seriously considered hurting him and swore that she would never participate in such a ritual.

As she cuddled into Max's side after making love for what must have been the millionth time, she laughed at how naïve she had been.


	33. Birth

Drabble 33 – Birth (courtesy of RDFan.)

He woke up with his eyes and mind both still foggy. For a moment he couldn't remember where he was, but when Max's face hovered over him and the haze began to clear, it all came back to him.

Lisa was in terrible pain, and he could do nothing to help her. She was sweating profusely, crying uncontrollably, screaming loudly and most nerve wracking for him she was swearing.

A lot.

At him.

It was all too much, and his body decided enough was enough and he fainted.

Max smiled as he said, "Welcome to the miracle of birth, Rick."


	34. Innocence

Drabble 34 – Innocence (courtesy of RDFan)

Rick watched proudly as the new crop of REF officers marched by. They were fresh from the academy, having only fought in simulations that left their innocence intact. They had yet to fight a real enemy, to kill another living being and be dragged into a world where innocence could not survive.

He could still remember the moment his innocence was lost, shattered into a million shards of glass that could never be put back together again, when he'd killed for the first time on Macross Island.

His soul cried for being responsible for these young people losing their innocence.


	35. Free

Drabble 35 – Free (courtesy of RDFan)

Free. As she ran away from Rick's place after just telling him she loved him and she was leaving, she had never felt so free.

She was no longer imprisoned by her feelings, a secret shared only by Claudia, though others knew as well, having deduced it on their own.

She no longer felt the burden of secretly loving him like a great stone around her neck. She was hurt though not surprised by the fact that he hadn't said anything as he stood there with Minmei by his side.

But even as the missiles fell, she still felt free.


	36. Persistence

Drabble 36 – Persistence (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen…I know this isn't exactly what you meant, but I hope you like it anyway.)

Lisa couldn't help but admire Jack Baker…well, certain things about him at least, like his piloting abilities, his loyalty and his brashness.

As she waited for Rick's shuttle to land, she spotted Baker following Karen, until she whirled around to face him, pointed her finger at him and said something. Lisa couldn't hear what it was, but Baker stayed eerily still as Karen left. He seemed lost until he suddenly ran after Karen, calling her name and telling her to wait.

It was then that Lisa realized that the thing about Jack Baker she admired the most was his persistence.


	37. Sourpuss

Drabble 37 – Sourpuss (courtesy of Alucard 491)

Lisa smiled as she felt a pair of familiar arms slip around her waist from behind her and then her husband's body press against hers.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

She had been thinking about their first meeting. They had traveled a hard road, one that had a less than auspicious beginning to say the least. He had called her an old sourpuss, though she felt that she had been neither. Now however, she knew she was old.

Rick's embrace tightened as he whispered, "I love you…you beautiful sourpuss."

Her smile widened. He always knew just what to say.


	38. Admiral

Drabble 38 – Admiral (courtesy of Alucard 491)

Lisa and Rick walked side by side through the halls of the SDF-3, talking about what they could do for the Sterling's wedding anniversary. People passed by, muttering greetings that ranged from just above casual to by the book formal, and Lisa returned them all with what she hoped appeared as a middle of the road greeting.

It wasn't until they were almost home that she realized that all the greetings were aimed at her, and not Rick. When she mentioned it to him, Rick smiled and said as though it should have been obvious to her, "Lisa…you're **THE** Admiral."


	39. Childish

Drabble 39 – (courtesy of Alucard 491)

Baker was getting on her nerves.

To the point where doing him grievous bodily harm was becoming the preferred option. What really galled Karen was that she actually liked the moron. No he wasn't a moron, just slightly childish.

It was just…every time he did something sweet and nice he'd follow it up by doing or saying something irritating and chauvinistic.

He was following her now, inundating her with pleas for attention. Finally something snapped. She whirled around and grabbed him by the front of his uniform.

As she pulled him towards her she growled, "Stop being so damned childish."


	40. Fear

Drabble 40 – Fear (courtesy of Alucard 491)

There were many things that Rick Hunter feared, though he was always able to keep those fears from jumping out into the open for the most part.

He had a fear of balloon animals, though he never could figure out why.

He had a fear of giant fish, especially tuna, for reasons that he could trace back to the day the SDF-1 folded out to Pluto.

He had a fear of not being able to fly, even if it was only occasionally.

But as he watched Lisa sleeping peacefully beside him, he realized his biggest fear was being without her.


	41. Picture

Drabble 41 – Picture (courtesy of Alucard491, whose suggestions were: desire, love, sourpuss, fear, content, glow, infant, childish, picture, friendship, flying, trio, admiral and life.)

It was Rick's photo album that prompted Lisa to give Rick pictures of herself.

It was the picture of Lisa and Riber aboard Breetai's flagship that made Rick feel a stab of jealousy.

It was the picture of the SDF-2 on the comm. screen of Skull One, with a gaping hole in its belly, that made Rick want to kill Khyron personally.

It was the wedding picture of him and Lisa on his desk that he looked to for support when it all spun out of control.

A picture was worth more than a thousand words to them.

Much more.


	42. Jealousy

Drabble 42 – Jealousy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Shakespeare said that jealousy was the green-eyed monster. For Lisa, it was an old friend that kept her company.

Her jealousy of Minmei was a prime example. While others were jealous of her success, youth and beauty, Lisa was jealous of the way that she was able, without trying no less, to maintain a hold on Rick's heart. It was a dull ache in her chest that told her that she was still alive, that her unrequited love for Rick wasn't the only thing she could feel. And for that she was thankful.

Monster? No. It was her trusted friend.


	43. Novelty

Drabble 43 – Novelty (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Their fleet had been defeated, in no small part to the fact that the ways of the Micronians had offered them so much more than they had experienced before. Because of that, many of their number, including great Breetai, fought against Dolza instead of with him.

And for a time after the Micronian victory, life for the remaining Zentraedi was good, even fulfilling. But it wasn't to last and disillusionment ran rampant.

It was summed up perfectly when a Zentraedi asked his friend why he was going to find Khyron. His answer was a Micronian saying: The novelty wore off.


	44. Hungry

Drabble 44 – Hungry (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

It had been a day full of long and useless meetings. There was nothing Lisa hated more than wasting her time listening to politicians and flag officers.

As she opened the door to her home, the mouth watering aromas of a dinner fit for a queen met her.

She walked in to find Rick lighting the candles he had placed on a lavishly set table. It was then that she realized she was hungry.

He looked up and asked, "Are you hungry?"

Lisa's smile was predatory as she walked up to him and whispered, "Yes", before kissing him, well, hungrily.


	45. Fatherhood

Drabble 45 – Fatherhood (courtesy of MsHayes)

"Here's to fatherhood," saluted a slightly inebriated Max. He had insisted on taking Rick out for a celebratory drink when it was revealed to him that Lisa was pregnant. As could happen occasionally when Rick and Max went out unsupervised, one drink lead to another, then another and so on until finally two empty whiskey bottles stood guard on the table in front of them.

Max had explained in detail everything involved with fatherhood, like lack of sleep and dirty diapers and Rick almost thought that Max regretted being a father.

That is until he said solemnly, "It's the best."


	46. Devotion

Drabble 46 – Devotion (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

When Miriya knew only the ways of the Zentraedi, her devotion to her duty knew no limits. It was not restricted in any way shape or form with no allowances for personal feelings or anything of the sort.

That changed when she found Max and he showed her so much tenderness. She found her devotion shifting from duty to her husband, though she never truly abandoned her duty. She felt then that she would be devoted to nothing else but her duty, her husband and her newfound friends.

Until her baby arrived. Then she realized where her devotion truly lay.


	47. Flyboy

Drabble 47 – Fly-boy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"There's nothing like it, Little Brother," Roy once said, "when a beautiful woman looks at you, gets that glint in her eyes and calls you fly-boy. She may be trying to yank your chain, but look into her eyes. Trust me."

And Rick did. He waited for Minmei to call him by what Roy claimed to be a magical phrase. But it wasn't Minmei who said it to him first.

And sure enough, Lisa's eyes had that sparkle in them when she called him fly-boy.

Roy was right. There was nothing like it when a beautiful woman called him fly-boy.


	48. Glow

Drabble 48 – Glow (courtesy of Alucard491)

Jean looked up from her desk and saw Lisa standing there looking uncertain.

Once Lisa stepped fully into her office and Jean could get a good look at the Admiral, she smiled and felt a slight rush of adrenaline course through her body. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling at all.

Jean motioned for Lisa to sit and said knowingly, "Let me guess… sick in the morning, lower back pain and you're late."

"How did you know?" asked Lisa.

Jean laughed before saying, "Lisa, when someone has a glow about them the way you do right now, that's the only possibility."


	49. Nightmare

Drabble 49 – Nightmare (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Max had been telling Rick about a disturbing nightmare he had the night before. After Max had regaled his friend with the story, Rick sat there smiling until he broke out in uncontrolled laughter.

Max was outraged at Rick's reaction until Rick looked at him and said, "You think that's bad? Listen to this."

Rick went on for twenty minutes, relating a nightmare which, at the end, had Max's anger transformed into sympathy for his friend.

"I have to admit that you win…hands down," said a respectful and capitulating Max. "Ending up with Minmei instead of Lisa…now that's a nightmare!"


	50. Fifty

Drabble 50 – Fifty (in honor of my fiftieth drabble)

Lisa had managed to go through the day without one person wishing her a happy birthday.

It had been a phantom regulation in the books that the Admiral's birthday was to be a low key affair, especially this birthday. Turning fifty wasn't something she wanted to be reminded of, let alone celebrate.

Some would consider it a milestone, though she didn't, having been all too aware of her age, especially in comparison to Rick's.

Lost in her thoughts as she stepped inside her quarters, she didn't notice Rick approach her until he kissed her and then whispered, "Happy birthday, Beautiful."


	51. Jellybeans

Drabble 51 – Jellybeans (courtesy of Aikiweezie…jellybeans, Aiki?;)

Gloval walked onto the bridge of the SDF-1 and sat down in his chair, resisting the urge to ask the Trio if it had arrived.

He dared not though. The package he was expecting was designated top secret by himself. Besides him, only Lisa and Claudia knew of the package.

The bridge door opened and Claudia stepped through, walked up to his chair and whispered to Gloval, "Your package has arrived, sir."

Gloval nodded nonchalantly and stood. Exactly two point two minutes later, he gently placed the first of his top secret shipment of jellybeans into his mouth and smiled.


	52. Insomnia

Drabble 52 – Insomnia (courtesy of MsHayes)

Rick couldn't remember having insomnia before, at least not on a scale such as he had experienced in the last week. There were times when he couldn't sleep the night before an op, but it would only be that night.

He reached over to the space beside him on the bed, Lisa's space, empty while she was gone on a work related trip. He was smart enough to know that her absence was the reason for this bout of insomnia. Knowing that didn't help, though…only one thing would.

The only thing that would help would be Lisa sleeping beside him.


	53. Success

Drabble 53 – Success (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Gloval looked out the viewport at the Earth, saddened by the devastating destruction and bone tired from the fight they had just endured with Dolza's forces.

Around him, his officers displayed similar feelings. Kim stretched in her seat after sitting there for so long; Vanessa removed her glasses and tiredly rubbed the bridge of her nose; Sammie, the youngest, cried without inhibition and Claudia, the oldest, simply shook her head sadly.

"The mission is a success, Captain," announced Exedore.

Gloval looked at the smoldering Earth before saying, "It is many things, Exedore, but a success is not one of them."


	54. Content

Drabble 54 – Content (courtesy of Alucard491)

"Before Scott came along that day and saved my ass, I was living a life of relative freedom and contentment. Yes indeed, I was content," he read out loud.

Rand looked at the lines and contemplated the words. His life before meeting Scott wasn't that bad, all things considered.

But was he really content?

He leaned back in his chair and looked upward. After several moments of thinking he looked down to his desk and saw the picture of him and Rook and he knew that compared to this time in his life, he was far from content back then.


	55. Frigid

Drabble 55 – Frigid (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Rick looked out the canopy of Skull One down into the residential sector. He found her house with an ease brought on by virtue of repetition. He never told anyone that every time he flew over the area he looked for her house.

It had been even more important to him since he stood her up for their picnic three days earlier, because since that day he hadn't been able to see or talk to her.

Her attitude towards him had been cold. Frigid even.

_"And I can't blame her,"_ he thought as he sighed at what he was missing.


	56. Obsession

Drabble 56 – Obsession (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"She was an obsession," Lisa said as she and Rick walked back to their quarters after defeating Edwards once and for all.

They were talking about a question Max had asked, namely what did Minmei mean to Edwards? It was Lisa's contention that Edwards was obsessed with Minmei and that neither love or desire had anything to do with it.

"You're partly right, Lisa," said Rick as he reached down to take her hand. "It was obsession, but not with Minmei. Edwards' obsession was with power, and everything he did, including what he did to Minmei, falls under that obsession."


	57. Jubilation

Drabble 57 – Jubilation (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

_"It's a party to be sure,"_ thought Max as he glanced around the room. Lisa and Rick wanted a small and simple marriage service. Everyone else wanted an unabashed shindig.

Everyone else won.

Max watched his friends twirl around the dance floor. They looked so incredibly happy.

He once again looked around the room, taking in the sight of the happy and glowing faces of their friends and crew.

Then he frowned. Happiness didn't adequately describe what he saw on their faces. After several moments it hit him and he smiled.

Jubilation.

Complete and total jubilation was what he saw.


	58. Pink

Drabble 58 – Pink (courtesy of Classic Cowboy)

Rick watched as Maia Sterling accepted command of the Skull alongside her mecha. At first he wasn't sure that a pinkish-purple was an appropriate color for Skull Leader, for reasons that he chalked up to his instinctive male chauvinism.

_"Pink!"_ it had cried. _"Are you going to allow this?"_

_"Yes,"_ the enlightened part of him answered. _"She's Skull Leader, not you. And she's a great pilot. And she's a Sterling. She can have whatever color she wants."_

"You're itching to go up there and paint it, aren't you?" asked mind-reader Max.

"Actually, no I'm not," Rick replied with a smile.


	59. Smile

Drabble 59 – Smile (courtesy of me, from personal experience)

Rick paced the floor, his hands clasped securely behind his back, jaw clenched tightly shut and head hung low.

Lisa had been gone for six hours, but for those six hours their beautiful baby girl had screamed, yelled and cried non-stop.

He tried all the usual things. As a sure sign of desperate times, he even sang to her.

Nothing worked.

Finally his frustration level maxed out and he stepped briskly over to the cradle, only to see his daughter look up at him and smile.

It was the type of smile that could warm his heart.

And it did.


	60. Lust

Drabble 60 – Lust (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Rick and Lisa were totally sated. He was on his back, and when he raised his arm, Lisa cuddled into him. Neither cared that they desperately needed a shower. All they cared about was being together.

Or so it seemed.

"It's all lust, isn't it?" she asked teasingly.

There would have been a time when that would have insulted him, but now he took it for what it was and decided to play along. "Partly."

"How much?"

He pretended to think for a second. "Ten percent."

"That's it?"

He pulled her closer against him. "That's enough. The rest is love."


	61. Discovery

Drabble 61 – Discovery

Rick waited until he was sure Minmei was asleep before he got out of bed to retrieve his uniform. He rolled gently out of bed, picked up his clothes and began to walk out.

But something made him pause.

He moved quietly to his bedside and knelt down to move a lock of Minmei's hair from her face, still flushed from the aftermath of their first time together.

He watched her breathe in and out so peacefully, fully aware of the discovery his heart had made.

It had discovered that it belonged not to her, but to another.

To Lisa.


	62. Forever

Drabble 62 – Forever (courtesy of Knights Templar)

"Nothing lasts forever," Lisa said in an icy tone of voice.

The engineer to whom her axiom was delivered had made the mistake of telling the Admiral that alternative power sources weren't needed, as protoculture would be around forever.

The man mumbled an apology, then turned and all but ran from the room.

"You're wrong, Admiral," a quiet voice said behind her.

Lisa turned to face Rick and gave him an expectant look.

"There is one thing that will last forever." He leaned in and rubbed his lips against hers as he added, "My love for you will last forever."


	63. Crush

Drabble 63 – Crush (courtesy of MsHayes)

"Do you remember your first crush?"

The surprise generated by Max's question caused the mouthful of coffee that Rick had been swallowing to go down the wrong way, initiating a thunderous coughing fit.

After several moments of trying to clear his throat and several way too hard smacks on the back from Max, Rick managed to croak, "What?"

Max began to speak but was stopped by Rick. "Sort of. Her name was Sandy, but every time I've tried to remember her, all I can think about is Lisa. I mean Sandy was just a minor crush. Lisa is my life."


	64. Flying

Drabble 64 – Flying (courtesy of Alucard491)

There had been a time when flying an airplane, whether in his father's air circus or in space, would have been the highlight of his day. In fact, flying had been his life.

There was nothing like it, flying through the air or space in a machine he could control, a machine with which he could do amazingly extraordinary things.

He always thought that if he gave up flying, he would lose a part of himself, maybe even the best part.

How wrong he'd been.

The best part of him was brought out not by flying, but by a woman.


	65. Star

Drabble 65 – Star (courtesy of MsHayes)

Rick looked through the infirmary observation window at the figure on the bed in the next room with sympathy and sadness in his heart. She didn't deserve any of it.

Beside him Baker shifted uncomfortably in his place. "I can't believe what they did to her, sir."

Rick grunted his assent, but didn't take his eyes off Minmei.

Baker went on. "I mean, she was a star, a music star. This shouldn't have happened to her, sir."

"Unfortunately, Baker, being a star doesn't mean you're above it all." Rick turned to Baker as he sighed and added, "Not even close."


	66. Birthright

Drabble 66 – Birthright (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Maia stood outside the door of her sister and tried to quell the nerves in her stomach and the doubt plaguing her mind.

She had resolved to talk to her sister, to straighten out their differences before the next battle.

She reached for the buzzer, but stopped an inch away from the panel.

Many didn't understand their situation. She wasn't sure if she did. Dana was upset with her. Why? Maia had grown up with their parents; Dana hadn't. Maia had everything that Dana didn't.

In Dana's eyes, Maia Sterling had taken what was supposed to be Dana's: her birthright.


	67. Service

Drabble 67 – Service (courtesy of Knights Templar)

"What do you think, Max?"

His answer to Rick's question was swift and sure. "Years as an excellent pilot, no negative marks on his record and apparently a hell of an officer. That kind of service deserves promotion." Max screwed up his nose. "He doesn't want a promotion?"

Rick shook his head.

"Too bad," said Max. "We need people like this guy."

"I agree." Rick tossed a couple of rank pins to Max. "Max Sterling, for your exemplary service, you're promoted to Brigadier General. Congratulations."

All Max could say as he looked at the pins in his hand was, "Damn."


	68. Motherhood

Drabble 68 – Motherhood (courtesy of MsHayes)

Miriya Sterling had trained relentlessly to maintain her status as leader of the Quadranos. She submitted herself to hour after hour after hour of mental and physical exercises to lead the Quadranos into battle…her Quadranos.

When she found love with Max and decided to remain micronized, she dedicated the same energy into training to be a veritech pilot. Hours spent flying her customized red veritech, with Max's blue fighter flying beside her.

She believed that she could prepare herself for any task.

Wrong.

There was something for which even exhaustive research and training could not totally prepare her for: motherhood.


	69. Reckless

Drabble 69 – Reckless (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen. As a little note, Thanks to everyone who has reviewed my little bout of madness so far. I appreciate them all.)

"Damn it, Baker!" yelled Rick. "One of these days you're going to get yourself killed. Is that what you want?"

"No, sir!" replied Baker. A bead of sweat was tickling his cheek as it made its way down his face, but he didn't dare wipe it away.

Rick pointed a finger at Baker's chest. "Then stop being so damn reckless. That's an order. Dismissed!"

Rick watched Baker escape then said to his companion, "I know what you're thinking, but I was never reckless like him."

Lisa reached down and took his hand. "You're right," she said teasingly. "You were worse."


	70. Inspiration

Drabble 70 – Inspiration (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Lisa!"

The voice made Lisa stop and wish she was somewhere else.

Anywhere else.

Minmei ran up to Lisa and hugged her tightly, but before Lisa could react, Minmei let go.

"I'm so glad to see you," chimed Minmei. "I hope everything is…"

"Excuse me," came a small voice from their right. They looked over and saw two little girls holding out pens and paper. "Can we have your autograph?"

Minmei smiled and reached out, but the girls handed their paper to Lisa instead.

As Lisa signed their papers, one of the girls said shyly, "Admiral Hunter, you're my inspiration."


	71. Brotherhood

Drabble 71 – Brotherhood (courtesy of MsHayes)

"There was a time when being a pilot was a brotherhood, Max," said Rick as he looked at the personnel file of the person they had chosen to be Skull Leader. "That changed, for the better I might add. Why should this be any different?"

Max sighed. "It's not me you have to convince, Rick. There are some people who won't like a woman commanding the Skull. I'm just worried about how they'll treat her."

"They'll get over it," replied Rick. "Besides, there are no brotherhoods any more…just one big family. If they don't get that, they shouldn't be pilots."


	72. Graduation

Drabble 72 – Graduation (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Their academy days were finally over and a slightly drunk Marcus walked through the chaotic halls of the academy searching for Alex.

The noise began to subside and Marcus kept walking, oblivious to the fact that everyone around him had come to attention.

That is until he saw Alex finally standing in front of him, looking slightly mortified. He was looking at Alex so intently that he ran into someone, and when he looked up to apologize he nearly fainted.

"Celebrating a little early?" asked Lisa Hunter. Before he could say anything she smiled and said, "Congratulations on your graduation."


	73. Siblings

Drabble 73 – Siblings (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Lisa noticed many instances of animosity between Dana and Maia since everyone had been reunited. A look here, a little comment there. It all added up.

She called them to her and looked at them gently. "I'm not speaking as an Ambassador, but as a friend who loves you both very much." The softening of their eyes indicated that they accepted that. "I never had siblings, but I wish I had." Dana's eyes rolled. "Really. I've always been jealous of people who did." Lisa stood up and looked at them seriously. "You're siblings, and that's special. Now act like it."


	74. Friendship

Drabble 74 – Friendship (courtesy of Alucard491)

Miriya looked through the infirmary window and remembered back to when she first joined the Micronians.

Max had accepted her, of course. He was her husband, and their love had managed to penetrate the barriers that were present because of their differing cultures. Others, however, had not been willing to accept her so easily.

The severely injured woman laying on the hospital bed in front of her had been the first to accept Miriya for who she was.

Lisa taught Miriya what friendship was, and for that she hoped with all her might that her friend would wake up soon.


	75. Tea

Drabble 75 – Tea (courtesy of MJenius)

It had never let her down.

It didn't matter what crisis she was facing, or if it was personal or professional. It didn't matter who or what caused her grief, pain, discomfort or rage.

She could always count on it in her darkest hours.

Like these.

She'd all but thrown Claudia out after her friend found her drunk in the bar singing Minmei's songs. Before she left, Claudia made sure that Lisa had everything she needed.

Including it.

As she took the first sip of tea, however, she knew that this would be the one time when it couldn't help.


	76. Proud

Drabble 76 - Proud

Rick and Lisa were going through the photo albums, and it had been a pleasant trip down memory lane until Lisa's smile suddenly disappeared, to be replaced by a sadness that hurt Rick.

Rick looked down to see what had upset her so and found a picture of her father facing them both.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

Lisa smiled sadly and rested her head upon his shoulder. "This was taken on the day I graduated from the academy. He was so proud of me."

"Proud?" Rick turned and placed a kiss on her head. "That makes two of us."


	77. Diapers

Drabble 77 – Diapers (courtesy of Sphersian)

Rick had finally convinced her that he could look after their newborn alone.

It had taken an obscene amount of convincing.

Nonetheless, she had been convinced. Besides, she thought, Rick was a big boy. He could handle it.

She found him collapsed on the couch with an ice bag on his head. He looked like crap.

The smile on her face must have said it all, because he looked up through clouded eyes and exclaimed, "I flew the most complicated machines ever invented! I command an army! But please, for the love of God, tell me how these diapers work!"


	78. Snow

Drabble 78 – Snow (courtesy of Sphersian)

Rick walked away from his Veritech as the snow drifted slowly to the ground. He stopped and remembered that the last time he saw the snow had been after Lisa walked angrily away from him after he made her wait for their picnic.

It had been so peaceful, the snow as it fell that day, as it was falling now. And when it was finished falling, it would cover the ground like a protective blanket, turning even the dirtiest garden into a pristinely white haven.

As the snow fell, Rick wished the snow could do the same for his life.


	79. Anime

Drabble 79 – Anime (courtesy of Alucard491)

"What are you watching?" asked Lisa as she walked into the living room, a bowl of popcorn and a soda held in her hands.

Rick reached over, picked up some popcorn and tossed it expertly into his mouth. As he chewed he mumbled, "I'm not sure. Robo-something."

"That's a strange title," she said teasingly. "What's it like?"

Rick shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay. Lots of planes and action. Some romance, so you'd probably like it."

Lisa turned her attention to the television. "Anime, Rick?" she asked in disbelief.

"Give it a chance, Lisa," said Rick knowingly. "Give it a chance."


	80. Revelation

Drabble 80 - Revelation (courtesy of Sphersian)

After Minmei left them at the edge of Lake Gloval and they made their promise to go to the stars, Rick looked into Lisa's eyes and, like a moth drawn to the proverbial flame, found his lips being pulled slowly towards hers.

When their lips finally touched, Rick's mind exploded with a million thoughts and memories of the woman he was kissing.

After a moment however, one particular memory surfaced, the memory of her standing on his doorstep and telling him that she loved him.

It had been a revelation; a revelation that had changed his life.

For the better.


	81. Ordinary

Drabble 81 – Ordinary (courtesy of RDFan)

His existence had been extraordinarily ordinary.

For a Zentraedi, that is.

He had been what the Micronians would call Breetai's 'right hand man'. He was the great commander's most trusted and valuable advisor, confidant and companion. And when those who were curious enough to ask inquired what his life had been like, they were invariably surprised when he told them that he had lived an ordinary life.

And now, sitting among the Micronians arguing about something with which he'd never had to deal with while battling beside Breetai, Micronian politics, Exedore wished fervently that his life could be ordinary again.


	82. Godfather

Drabble 82 – Godfather (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

When Dana thought about the term 'godfather', her heart warmed no matter what type of mood she had been in. She could have racing through the academy obstacle course, or she could have been half asleep in her advanced mechanics class.

Whenever that word came to her, three goofy men came to mind, and along with their faces came that powerful warmth.

Sometimes it came when she didn't want it to, like when she wanted to be angry.

But in a world where some people had lost all their loved ones, how could she complain about having them love her?


	83. Advice

Drabble 83 – Advice (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Some called him opinionated. Others called him wise. More called him nosy. No matter the label put on him, Roy Fokker always had advice for someone who needed it. He even had advice for those who didn't need it, or _thought_ they didn't need it; those especially would have cause to thank him, for his advice always helped.

The same held true for Claudia. Though more subtle in her approach, (Roy and subtle just didn't go together), her advice was equally effective.

Rick and Lisa often wondered how much heartache they would have avoided if they'd simply taken their advice.


	84. Nibble

Drabble 84 – Nibble (courtesy of MJenius)

Lisa had been pissed with Rick before, but not like this.

She wasn't supposed to overhear his and Max's conversation about singers. She wasn't supposed to hear him admit that he sincerely liked Minmei's singing.

He had no choice but to bring out the ultimate weapon; the one thing in his arsenal that he seldom used so that it would remain effective for occasions like this.

He edged up behind her, kissed her neck and then did it.

She groaned and he nearly smiled.

He never would have thought that Lisa's Achilles' Heal would be a nibble on her earlobe.


	85. Hope

Drabble 85 – Hope (courtesy of Starsinger)

"Do you think they'll ever get it together?" asked Sammie.

Kim sighed and folded her hands together underneath her chin. "I don't know," she replied with frustration filling her voice. "But I wish they would. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Vanessa nodded in agreement. "I thought they were going to come to blows last time."

"Sssshhh!" exclaimed Sammie as she pointed to the mess hall entrance.

Lisa and Rick were laughing as they walked in together and sat down at a table.

A bemused Kim looked to her friends. "I guess there's always hope."


	86. Trio

Drabble 86 – Trio (courtesy of Alucard491)

There was a group feared among all the crew members of the SDF-1. Even the civilian population that took shelter inside the battle fortress would also come to fear them.

They were relentless in achieving their goals, no matter what those goals were. They left no stone unturned in their endeavors. They were the ultimate sources of information, and heaven help anyone who managed to get on their bad sides.

No, they were not the enemy that hounded them day and night from the blackness of space.

They were human. They were young. They were women.

They were the Trio.


	87. Evolution

Drabble 87 – Evolution (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Ariel watched with interest as Scott talked to Vince Grant on the bridge of the _Ark Angel_.

They worked together well despite their relative unfamiliarity with each other. She supposed that's what happened with uniform training and a resolve brought on by a shared purpose, in this case, the rescue of the SDF-3.

She had given up a chance to go with the rest of her kind, to stall her physical evolution, to stay with Scott and these humans.

Her Mother would never understand, but the only evolution that Ariel cared about was the evolution of her love for Scott.


	88. Fiction

Drabble 88 – Fiction (courtesy of Alucard491)

"And that's how my Mom and Dad got together," the young man finished. He sat back and looked at the beautiful young woman across from him. There was nothing like the story of his parents to get a girl interested.

The young woman shook her blond head in disbelief. "That's so romantic it can't be true."

He smiled widely. "It's very true. Just ask your parents about Lisa and Rick Hunter."

She leaned forward and took his hand. "You're serious aren't you? It really happened that way?"

He nodded. "Truth can be stranger than fiction. Sometimes it's even more romantic."


	89. Together

Drabble 89 – Together

Rick watched helplessly as Lisa fought to live. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he knew she would be okay; her strength of will was limitless. She was the strongest person he knew, male or female, human or alien.

It was one of the many things he loved about her.

Still, the loss of their unborn child would devastate her. Lisa had always wanted children, and they tried very hard to conceive a child.

When it finally happened they were both ecstatic. Contrary to popular belief, he wanted kids too.

They would be devastated together, and together they would get through it.


	90. Starlight

Drabble 90 – Starlight (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Rick didn't know what it was about the starlight, but it routinely did the impossible: it made Lisa even more beautiful than usual.

The way it drifted into their dark bedroom and landed on Lisa's always beautiful face made her look like a sleeping angel who glowed from the inside.

For hours at a time Rick would simply watch Lisa sleep peacefully in the starlight, memorizing each and every detail; the curve of her cheek, the way her hair rested around her, the way her lips puckered up ever so slightly, all made even more beautiful by the soft starlight.


	91. Breetai

Drabble 91 - Breetai

There were those who said that he became the strongest of them all when Dolza was incinerated by the SDF-1.

Then there were those who whispered in the shadows like cowards that he would never be the powerful leader that Dolza had been.

For Kazianna, they were all wrong.

She considered Breetai to be the strongest of the Zentraedi from the moment she saw him, everyone else be damned.

And as she watched his troops obey him without question, without even so much as a second thought, she knew he was their greatest leader.

He was, after all, great Breetai.


	92. Love

Drabble 92 – Love (courtesy of Alucard491)

Azonia admitted to herself that there were some Micronian customs that she could definitely live with, even if she despised the race as a whole.

She reached over on the bed to where Khyron had been a few moments earlier, where he slept after they had pressed lips and –how did the Micronians say it?- had sex.

It had taken her a while to get over the disgust that had been programmed into her, but once it was gone all that remained were feelings the likes of which she had never experienced before.

"_Is this love?"_ she asked herself.

"_Yes."_


	93. Emptiness

Drabble 93 – Emptiness (courtesy of Sphersian)

Lisa walked into the Setup and maneuvered herself to the bar. From the glances she received, she knew that some of the patrons figured she was already three sheets to the wind.

What they couldn't know was that she was not drunk. In fact, she had never been more sober.

She was just shell shocked to the point where she could barely stand up.

Rick was lost to her forever, and it hurt.

Badly.

She had never before felt such an emptiness within her, such a pervasive emptiness that was without end. An emptiness she knew she would feel forever.


	94. New

Drabble 94 – New (courtesy of Alucard491)

Rick sighed as he stared up at Lisa's bedroom ceiling. She'd left an hour earlier, but he just couldn't leave her bed.

This was something new for him, staying in bed after Lisa had gone. Usually he got up when she did, but not this time.

It was just one of the many new things he had done and experienced since realizing that he was in love with Lisa.

Kissing her wasn't new, he'd done that before, but sleeping in the same bed as her and making love to her was most certainly new.

Wonderfully, incredibly and blissfully new.


	95. Ocean

Drabble 95 – Ocean (courtesy of Sphersian)

Lisa looked out into the wide blue expanse that was the Pacific Ocean with conflicting emotions.

On the one hand she couldn't help but be in awe of its beautiful shade of blue, nor could she simply ignore the tranquility that the gentle waves bestowed upon her.

On the other hand, in this very ocean, though far away from her current location, her hesitation in firing the missiles from the Daedalus nearly cost the man that she loved his life. She shuddered at the thought.

"Stop thinking bad things," Rick said softly as he kissed her cheek. "Enjoy the ocean."


	96. Distraction

Drabble 96 – Distraction (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen. For those of you who noticed, I had a slight brain freeze and added a chapter based on a word that I've already done. Sorry. For those of you didn't notice, carry on.)

Rick never thought he could love and hate something simultaneously.

Yet it was happening.

He loved the new REF uniforms. They were made of new materials that allowed people to move around in comfort. That the uniforms worn by female officers were slightly more form fitting than those worn by male officers was a bonus.

And a curse.

He was staring at Lisa, and he knew it. He also knew that she knew it.

Finally Lisa looked at him and said knowingly, "You're staring."

"I can't help it," he replied dreamily. "That uniform on you is driving me to distraction."


	97. Donkey

Drabble 97 – Donkey (courtesy of Starsinger)

It didn't take long for the news of his and Lisa's ruined picnic date to blaze through the grapevine.

And Miriya had apparently been one of the first to find out.

She marched towards Rick and pushed him against the nearest wall. Max tried to intervene…unsuccessfully.

Miriya berated Rick for ten long minutes. He was finally about to run away when Miriya took a deep breath and yelled at the top of her lungs, "You donkey!" With that she turned and stormed away.

At Rick's perplexed look Max explained calmly, "Ass, Rick. She means you're an ass. And she's right."


	98. Certifiable

Drabble 98 – Certifiable (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"He's certifiable, sir," complained Karen. "If I didn't know better I'd say he was even slightly psychotic."

That made Max smile. "Can someone be 'slightly' psychotic, Commander? Isn't that like being 'slightly' pregnant?"

He let Karen sputter for a moment before saying, "Baker is a skilled pilot, with extraordinary reflexes and solid flying mechanics. His grades from the academy and performance evaluations are all exemplary." Max narrowed his eyes. "I won't tolerate any more bad mouthing any of my pilots. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," said a chastised Karen.

"Besides," added Max. "You haven't seen certifiable until you've flown with Rick Hunter."


	99. Paradise

Drabble 99 – Paradise (courtesy of Sphersian)

A bead of sweat glistened against her skin as it made its way down her throat. Rick watched as it stopped for a moment in the small hollow where her throat met her breastbone, then continued.

Lisa's hand caressing his chest broke the spell that the droplet of perspiration had on him and he found her eyes, darkened with desire and nearly glazed over as a result of the physical pleasure she was experiencing. He had no doubt that the same look was in his own eyes.

At that moment he knew **this** was where he belonged.

**This** was paradise.


	100. One Hundred

Drabble 100 – One Hundred

Rick tapped the computer screen. "I can't believe he got to one hundred."

Lisa joined him and peered into the screen in a vain attempt to see through it. "I know. I heard that he didn't think he would get to fifty."

Miriya piped up from behind them, "I heard he credits the great suggestions he got for ideas."

Max nodded. "There's also a rumor going around that the awesome support he gets from the readers helps too."

"Well," said Rick as he put his arm around Lisa, "as long as he doesn't put me with Minmei, it's all good."


	101. Longing

Drabble 101 – Longing (courtesy of Knights Templar)

He loved her.

After dozens of women and meaningless trysts, he found a woman he could love with everything that he had within himself.

And she was gone, and had been for two weeks on a mission to train new personnel recently assigned to the SDF-1. With the launch of the battle fortress only days away, the race was on to be ready.

Roy looked at his watch and barely held in a curse. The plane carrying Claudia and her trainees should have landed an hour earlier.

He sighed. Never before had he felt such longing for anyone or anything.


	102. Ace

Drabble 102 – Ace (courtesy of queequeg1013)

Ace had become an honor doled out too easily in the age of Robotechnology. The original criteria, that a pilot shoot down five enemy aircraft, had become obsolete when a Veritech fighter could carry up to eighty missiles and hundreds of Gatling gun rounds.

It was so easy to become an ace now that even a cadet on his first training flight would be able to take out five enemy targets.

No one knew what the new criteria should be, but among those who knew flying it was agreed that there was one who was a true ace.

Max Sterling.


	103. Contemplation

Drabble 103 – Contemplation (courtesy of MJenius)

Rick had never been a fan of contemplation. It usually just seemed to exacerbate the confusion he habitually felt where his love life was concerned.

And God knew that that was the last thing he needed.

Still, after reflecting on his relationship with Lisa and realizing that Vanessa was right when she said that Lisa loved him, he had to search her out. He found her at Claudia's and after a few awkward moments, they went to his house.

He looked down at her now, cuddled into his side, and thought, _"Maybe a little contemplation isn't so bad after all."_


	104. Craftiness

Drabble 104 – Craftiness (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Gloval helplessly watched the view screen as the scene played itself out.

It had been a master stroke on Khyron's part, though Gloval would never admit it to anyone.

The explosions and resulting fires in civilian areas of New Macross were the perfect after action diversion, the ideal move to keep the RDF forces from pursuing Khyron.

There was no way the RDF could ignore such civilian carnage and need to go after him, and Khyron knew it.

Gloval mentally saluted the Zentraedi warlord. He had faced many adversaries in his day, but never before had he faced such craftiness.


	105. Whiskey

Drabble 105 – Whiskey (courtesy of Sphersian)

Lisa regarded her old friend with a wary eye. Whenever her situation with Rick threatened to overwhelm her with sadness, she would have to try to resist seeking out this friend.

This friend, while always there for her and usually able to take the pain away, if only for a short time, was not a friend that she should rely on.

Still, other than Claudia, this friend was the only constant friend in her lonely life.

Finally the pain won out. She reached over and picked up her friend, a bottle of whiskey, and poured some into a waiting glass.


	106. Hunger

Drabble 106 – Hunger (courtesy of MsHayes)

Khyron stalked his prey through the corridors of his newly powered ship. Azonia was avoiding him, most likely in an attempt to play what the Micronians called 'hard to get'.

And it worked. Every room he found void of her presence increased his need to find her.

He knew it was not the way it was supposed to be. It was not the Zentraedi way.

And he had things that he wanted before, such as power and fine foods, but never before had he felt what he felt for her. Never before had he felt such a hunger for anything.


	107. Average

Drabble 107 – Average (courtesy of Alucard491)

When Maia first saw Marcus Rush, she figured him to be an average guy, with average skills as a pilot.

One thing she knew for certain: his hatred for the Invid was far above average, bordering on the obsessive and unhealthy.

The more she flew with him and the more she saw what he was about, she came to realize that nothing about him was average, least of all his heart and soul.

His love for his family was deep, his friendship was absolute and his attitude towards her was warm and pleasant.

Yes, Marcus Rush was anything but average.


	108. Hurdle

Drabble 108 – Hurdle (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Minmei realized that Lisa was a hurdle in her and Rick's relationship when he solemnly whispered Lisa's name as Dolza attacked Earth.

And she knew it was because of Lisa that he hesitated when she asked him to stay to let her stay with him.

And she knew it was Lisa he was thinking of when he sneaked out of bed after they made love, avoiding her touch and pretending that he didn't know she wasn't asleep.

But it was as he ran after Lisa as Khyron's missiles fell that she realized Lisa was a hurdle that she couldn't overcome.


	109. Exhaustion

Drabble 109 – Exhaustion (courtesy of Alucard491)

Dana looked up at the stars through the nocturnal sky. The sleeping bag she rested on wasn't uncomfortable, but she still missed her bed, a bed that had been incinerated like just about everything else when the barracks had been attacked.

Louie slept peacefully a short ways away to her left, and Dante to her right, though his sleeping bag was considerably closer than Louie's, which she didn't mind at all.

She focused harder on the stars and felt her eyes get very heavy. She tried to fight off sleep, but she couldn't.

Never before had she felt such exhaustion.


	110. Delirious

Drabble 110 – Delirious (courtesy of MsHayes)

"I know you love me," said Baker smugly.

Karen stopped the inspection of her Alpha's undercarriage, closed her eyes and counted, very slowly, to ten. When she was done she stood up and turned to regard the constant pain in her ass.

She smiled sweetly at Baker, then reached over and took his arm. "Come with me," she whispered sexily, and she had to repress the grin she felt coming when Baker gulped.

She led them off the hangar deck and through the ship until Baker finally asked, "Where are we going?"

She smiled devilishly. "The infirmary. You're obviously delirious."


	111. Genius

Drabble 111 – Genius (courtesy of queequeg1013)

"What do you think, Max?" asked Miriya as she walked alongside him.

Miriya had arranged their flight schedules so that they had the whole weekend off and put a do not disturb order by their names on the call sheet. She had gone shopping, bringing home everything they would need so that there would be no reason to leave the house. They were free for the whole weekend with nothing to do. There was just one thing.

"What about Dana?"

Miriya smiled. "She's going camping with Jean, Vince and Bowie."

Max grinned at his wife. "I think you're a genius."


	112. Stranger

Drabble 112 – Stranger (courtesy of Sphersian)

When he heard the knock on the door, he hoped with all of his heart that it would be Lisa; desperately hoped that she had found it in her heart to forgive him one more time.

It wasn't, of course. It was Minmei, alone and looking for a place to stay, looking for a friend in a time of need.

He let her stay, and he listened for hours as Minmei sputtered on about her life.

It was later as he lid down on his couch that he wondered when it was that Minmei had become a stranger to him.


	113. Beacon

Drabble 113 – Beacon (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

It was Lisa, he had come to realize.

Rick had always assumed that the navigational system was what brought him home after a rough patrol, or his own piloting skills added to the computers. There were even times when he assumed that it was the thought of Minmei that delivered him to safety.

But he was wrong.

It had been Lisa. Whether it was her flight instructions, or the calm look she gave him on the screen, or her steady voice talking to him about nothing in particular, it was always Lisa.

She was his light. She was his beacon.


	114. Fallen

Drabble 114 – Fallen (courtesy of queequeg1013)

The list had grown too long. From the day the SDF-1 launched until Khyron hatched his final attack, the number of names had grown into the thousands. And that wasn't counting the millions of civilians killed.

Thousands of names, each representing an officer, a tech or a crew member. Pilots and medics. Bridge officers and mechanics. They came from everywhere.

Lisa scanned through the names, annoyed and embarrassed that she didn't know each and every one of them, even though she knew knowing them all was impossible.

When Rick came in he asked, "What's that?"

She sighed sadly. "The fallen."


	115. Kitchen

Drabble 115 – Kitchen (courtesy of Sphersian)

Despite the assumption of many, Rick was pretty handy in the kitchen.

Only a few people knew that that came by having to more or less fend for himself at an early age. His father did what he could, and there were others in the flying circus who helped out, but when his appetite had been whetted for a certain dish, he had to do it himself or do without.

He was just putting the finishing touches on a meal fit for a queen when she came home. One look into Lisa's eyes and everything in the kitchen was forgotten.


	116. Change

Drabble 116 - Change

Rick walked through the SDF-3's hangar with a nostalgic smile upon his face, and eventually found himself in front of Max's Skull One.

He reached over and touched the plane. It wasn't his Skull One, the plane he took over after Roy died, but it didn't matter. This was the Skull One of today, just as there would be a new Skull One once the Shadow Fighters came along.

Then he saw Lisa enter the hangar and his smile turned into a cheerful one. _"Everything changes,"_ he thought.

There was a time when that would have bothered him.

Not anymore.


	117. Green

Drabble 117 – Green (courtesy of queequeg1013)

There were hundreds of them, garbed in their dress uniforms for their graduation from the academy.

"Just look at them," whispered Rick as they marched past.

Max took a moment to regard the group at large then leaned over to ask, "What about them?"

Rick tilted his head toward Max. "They're just kids. How can we expect them to do this?" Rick sighed. "We were never that green."

Max grinned. "Yes we were, and we managed to get the job done. They will too. After all, we helped to teach them."

"Well," said Rick with a raised eyebrow, "that's true."


	118. Forgiven

Drabble 118 – Forgiven (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Lisa smiled as Rick took her hand and pulled her to him. There was a sadness in his eyes, however, a sorrow she saw far too often.

He wouldn't tell her about it, but a reliable source told her why the happiness they found together never quite showed in his eyes.

It had been Max who told her how Rick continued to berate himself over the way that he had treated her, how he had ignored her feelings and pushed her aside.

She looked into his eyes. "I love you, and believe me when I say that all is forgiven."


	119. Forgotten

Drabble 119 – Forgotten (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Rick smiled widely and kissed the beautiful woman in his arms. He should have known she'd figure out why there was still a piece of him anchored in the past.

The kiss ended and he hugged Lisa tightly. _'I love you, and believe me when I say that all is forgiven,'_ he repeated to himself. He appreciated those words more than he could say.

Yet despite her absolution of his behavior, he would not be able to forgive himself. The way he treated her would haunt him forever.

Forgiven, but it would not be forgotten.

At least not by him.


	120. Comedy

Drabble 120 – Comedy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Max watched as Lisa stormed away from Rick after his latest instance of insensitivity.

It was almost laughable how thick headed his friend could be. Lisa loved him, it was plain to everyone. Well, everyone except Rick that is. Max was even sure that Minmei had an idea as to how Rick felt about Lisa.

It had all the trappings of a classic love triangle, Max mused, but as he watched Rick look to where Lisa had walked off to with a wide-eyed look of complete ignorance, Max realized that there was another way to think of it.

Bad comedy.


	121. Heat

Drabble 121 – Heat (courtesy of queequeg1013)

They'd been married for six months, and if there was one thing that Max had learned it was that he was master of the kitchen.

And that was where he found himself when Miriya came home one evening from, of all things, a cooking class.

"How was the class?" Max called out as he chopped an onion.

He nearly jumped and cut his finger when Miriya's lips touched his neck once, then again, and again.

Max swallowed hard. "Miriya, you have to stop or …"

"You know what you Micronians say, Maximillian," she whispered, "if you can't stand the heat…"


	122. Blood

Drabble 122 – Blood (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

"They'll pay for this!"

The SDF-2, Lisa's ship, had taken a hit and was sinking and, in the face of the evidence his eyes were giving him, Lisa was dead.

They had attacked the woman he loved just as he had come to realize just how he felt about her. They robbed him of a chance to further explore what that meant for him.

Moments later, Rick stood his Battloid up on the hull of the Zentraedi ship and shot at everything. Never before had he wanted to kill so badly.

Never before had he been so out for blood.


	123. Fireworks

Drabble 123 – Fireworks (courtesy of MJenius)

The minister looked to Rick after finishing the service and said with a smile, "You may kiss your bride."

Rick turned to Lisa and leaned in to brush his lips against hers in what she considered to be a cruel and teasing way. She had just thought about complaining when he leaned in towards her further and deepened the kiss, nearly taking her breath away.

She knew that at that moment space around the SDF-3 was being lit up by hundreds of brightly colored fireworks.

She also knew that those fireworks paled compared to the ones exploding in her heart.


	124. Pacifist

Drabble 124 – Pacifist (courtesy of MsHayes)

He didn't really know when it ended, or what happened in his life to change what was a fundamental aspect of his personality, but there was no denying that it had ended.

For so long he was against violence. His practice of martial arts had nothing to do with violence as much as it was something to help keep his body and spirit fit.

Over time, the alcohol, hurt, pain and betrayal became too much for him, he supposed. It wasn't his fault, that was for sure.

But Kyle really couldn't figure out when he'd actually stopped being a pacifist.


	125. Prodigy

Drabble 125 – Prodigy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Vince looked up at the young woman before him. He could see aspects of both Max and Miriya in her unweathered features, much as he could see his old friends in the visage of her older sister.

He'd just told Maia how much he was counting on her to do her job with the professionalism he'd expect from a Sterling.

He stopped at the reaction he got from that. It wasn't much, a split second narrowing of her eyes and slight flare of her nostrils, but it was telling.

He sighed. "It's hell being a prodigy, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."


	126. Athletic

Drabble 126 – Athletic (courtesy of Alucard491)

"Petite, athletic or muscular?" Roy reached over to tap Rick on the side of his head…hard.

"What?" asked Rick.

"The perfect woman?" asked Roy with a sigh. "Petite, athletic or muscular?"

Rick looked back and forth between Max and Roy, wondering how he'd gotten himself into this conversation. Then he thought about it.

He didn't like muscular women. No reason for it, he just didn't. Petite had always been it for him, and Minmei was petite.

He looked over to another table and unconsciously smiled. "Definitely athletic," he answered finally.

When Roy and Max followed Rick's gaze, they saw Lisa.


	127. Bathrobe

Drabble 127 – Bathrobe (courtesy of MJenius)

It was old and faded, and the edges of the material had begun to unravel.

She even bought him a new one, but he wouldn't wear it. One day he walked out of the bathroom wearing it and she just had to ask why he still wore it.

He smiled and took her hand and placed it on the belt. She pulled on the belt and with what seemed like no force at all it opened up before her.

Rick looked at her. "The bathrobe you bought doesn't open as easily as this one."

Lisa never asked about it again.


	128. Romance

Drabble 128 – Romance (courtesy of Alucard491)

Max looked up as the familiar red fanjet of Rick Hunter streaked across the sky and he smiled.

Billowing behind the jet was a banner, upon which was written in ridiculously large red letters, 'Lisa…will you marry me? Please.'

He glanced down to look at Lisa and Miriya a few paces in front of him as Miriya's cell phone rang. Instead of answering it herself she handed the phone to Lisa.

As Miriya walked towards him he heard Lisa say, "Of course I'll marry you."

When Miriya stood beside him he said softly, "I guess romance isn't dead after all."


	129. Intrigued

Drabble 129 – Intrigued (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Usually it was dinner and a drink, followed by kissing and a night of physical intimacy that never left him fulfilled, physically or emotionally.

He always figured that the lack of physical satisfaction stemmed from his inability to derive any emotional satisfaction out those encounters.

Then one day he saw her from a distance as she marched towards him, surrounded by other beautiful women that he never really noticed.

He only had eyes for her. 'Grant' her nametag said.

A friend nudged him and said teasingly, "Are you smitten, Roy?"

Roy shook his head absently as he said, "I'm intrigued."


	130. Dauntless

Drabble 130 – Dauntless (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"We need a name for the new cruiser," commented Rick. He was sitting at a table with Vince and Max, going over a few of the details before the REF lifted off.

Vince sighed. "I think we've run out of names, Rick. Just give it a number."

"Come on, Vince," said Rick. "This ship will recon, going deep into unknown and possibly dangerous territory before anyone else. It needs a name that will inspire its crew and the crews of the ships that follow it."

Silence fell upon the three men until Max looked up and said solemnly, "The _Dauntless_."


	131. Arcade

Drabble 131 – Arcade (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Isn't this, I don't know, juvenile, Dad?" asked fourteen year old Maia.

They had just entered an old style arcade that one some of the engineers had built on the SDF-3's recreation deck.

Max laughed at his daughter- everyone inside the arcade was older than her.

He sighed happily as he remembered his first meeting with Miriya. "Arcades can be special places."

Two hours later Maia walked into their quarters. "Where have you been?" asked Max. She'd disappeared ten minutes after going inside the arcade.

Maia sighed happily as she touched her lips. "You're right, Dad. Arcades can be special."


	132. Brilliance

Drabble 132 – Brilliance (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"I can't believe you did that, Baker! Were you trying to get yourself and Karen killed?"

"No, sir…"

"Don't interrupt me when I'm yelling at you, Baker!" yelled Rick, well aware that he had in fact asked Baker a question. "I don't care what you were trying to do! Dismissed!"

Baker left but lingered long enough to hear Max say to Rick, "You know, his profile says he's prone to instances of brilliance in the cockpit."

Baker smiled widely, but it turned into a deep frown when Rick replied, "Brilliance? I wonder when we'll get to see some of that."


	133. Children Spoiler warning for PTTSC

Drabble 133 – Children (courtesy of MsHayes)

Lisa knew the instant she woke up that she was alone. She could feel that the precious life she had been carrying was lost. And just when she thought it couldn't get worse, she saw the look in Jean's eyes, the look that told Lisa that, because of her injuries, she may not be able to have any children.

The sob that was ripping its way up through her chest dissipated when she felt his hand take hers and saw his eyes tell her it was going to be okay.

"With or without children, I'll always love you," Rick whispered.


	134. Suffering

Drabble 134 – Suffering (courtesy of Knights Templar)

Rick woke up with Minmei in his arms and his mind automatically flashed back to the day before and the destruction he'd seen.

He'd seen enough suffering to make anyone cry, even him. He'd seen the suffering of his pilots and fellow RDF officers as they fought and died. And he'd seen the suffering of the civilians as they tried to make sense of the needless death and destruction.

Most of all, however, he remembered the suffering he saw in Lisa's eyes as she told him that she knew about Minmei.

Yes, the suffering he saw could make him cry.


	135. Indebted

Drabble 135 – Indebted (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Minmei didn't have to think very hard to remember the various times he was there for her when no one else was, not even Rick, who was there whenever she had the urge to call him.

Kyle was always looking out or her, except of course when he was drinking. He was a different man when he got drunk. But he always sobered up, apologized for whatever out of bounds things he said and did and then tried that much harder to look after her.

Despite the bad way it ended for them, Minmei would always be indebted to Kyle.


	136. Music

Drabble 136 – Music (courtesy of MJenius)

Lisa had always enjoyed all music, from rock and roll to various country tunes. She never found herself anchored to one type of music, instead finding something in everything she heard to enjoy.

She could enjoy the lyrics of a song and find herself not enjoying the rhythm. Or she could enjoy the beat of another song and not understand or like the lyrics.

Dance music, ballads, instrumental…it made no difference.

Except **her** music. No matter how much she tried, Lisa could find nothing in Minmei's music to like, and she knew it had nothing to do with the music.


	137. Worship

Drabble 137 – Worship (courtesy of Knights Templar)

Roy stood in the pilot's ready room, totally oblivious to the fact that he had been pouring coffee into his cup for nearly thirty seconds.

Finally his friend tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him out of his little reverie about Claudia and finally noticing the mess he was making.

He jerked the pot upright and cursed, which only added to his friend's amusement, which in turn only added to Roy's irritation.

"She must be someone special," the friend said as Roy cleaned up.

"You have no idea," replied Roy. "I have finally found a woman worthy of my worship."


	138. Stress

Drabble 138 – Stress (courtesy of Alucard491)

"Admiral, it's come to my attention that you may be overworking yourself at a delicate time in your pregnancy." Jean paused and waited for a reaction, but got none. "I can not emphasize enough the necessity of avoiding stress in your life right now."

"Avoid stress? You've got to be kidding, Jean," said Lisa without looking up from the file she'd been trying to get through. "We're about to…" She looked up and saw as stern a look on Jean's face as she had ever seen. She put down her pen, stood up and let her friend escort her home.


	139. Fantasy

Drabble 139 – Fantasy (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"So what's your fantasy, Rick?" asked Max.

Rick knew there was going to be trouble when Max started telling him about how Miriya had asked Max that very same question.

"Come on, Rick," said Max impatiently.

"I don't know, Max," replied Rick with a shrug of his shoulders. "I've never really thought about…"

He stopped when the door opened and Miriya and Lisa walked in. His eyes met Lisa's and without hesitation she walked over to him, leaned down and kissed him hard.

When she walked away a moment later Rick turned to Max and said dreamily, "That's my fantasy."


	140. Letterhead

Drabble 140 – Letterhead (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

There was no return address on the envelope, but the way his name was written on it looked eerily familiar. He hadn't seen or heard tell of her since she left Lisa and him near the destroyed SDF-1 eight years earlier.

With a sigh Rick opened it and carefully removed the folded, cream-colored piece of paper from within.

When he unfolded it he saw her name printed boldly in the letterhead. Without reading a single word, Rick folded the paper again, then tore the letter twice before throwing it in the fireplace.

The letterhead was all he needed to see.


	141. Diary

Drabble 141 – Diary (courtesy of MsHayes)

Dear Diary,

It's over. Any chance I had of Rick returning the feelings I have for him went up in flames tonight with the downtown section of New Macross.

He was so angry that I never called him when Khyron's attack began. The only other time I saw him so angry with me was when I ordered him to go after Khyron after just rescuing Minmei in Operation Starsaver.

I can't take the pain anymore. I've decided to resign and move away from New Macross, away from him. Claudia will be furious. Gloval will be disappointed. Rick? Who knows?

Lisa.


	142. Strawberries

Drabble 142 – Strawberries (courtesy of MsHayes)

"Ohhhh," moaned Lisa in complete satisfaction. "I've never..."

Rick was a little shocked, very proud and slightly concerned by Lisa's reaction.

She closed her eyes and leaned back, tilting her head back as far as she could and licking her lips in such a way that told Rick he should most definitely do this more often.

Lisa moaned softly once more as she brought her head upright and then turned her head a little to the left, licking her lips one more time.

Yep.

A lot more often.

He never knew that feeding Lisa fresh strawberries could be so – satisfying.


	143. Flirt

Drabble 143 – Flirt

Roy was a flirt. It wasn't that he meant to be, or that his flirting meant anything. It simply came naturally to him to be friendly to the opposite sex. Too friendly perhaps.

And he knew that, despite the fact that it was harmless and meaningless, it would get him into trouble. Like a moment earlier when Claudia walked into the mess and saw him flirting with a radar tech.

Just as the red alert sounded.

"Saved by the bell, eh Roy?" asked Rick as they ran towards the hangar deck.

Roy smiled. "All part of my plan, Little Brother."


	144. Stand

Drabble 144 – Stand (courtesy of GeekGirl2)

Jack Baker looked over his damaged Alpha's weapons inventory and cursed when it showed that he had just fired off the last of his missiles.

He was done for and he knew it.

Then, out of nowhere, a missile destroyed the nearest Invid and Jack heard an amused voice over the comm. channel.

'Hell of a time to make a stand, Jack,' commented Karen as her squad proceeded to eliminate the enemy.

Baker folded his arms across his chest and sulked, knowing that that wasn't going to be the last he was going to hear of "Baker's Almost Last Stand."


	145. Sleep

Drabble 145 – Sleep (courtesy of RDFan)

Lisa was crying.

At his insistence, Jean had arranged to have Lisa moved to their quarters so that he could be with her as much as possible as she tried to recover.

He rolled over, mindful of the braces on his wife's legs, and wiped the tears from her cheek.

He could see that she was tired, bordering on exhausted.

He moved closer and gently stroked her hair until she went to sleep. Sleep was something he hadn't been able to do since she'd been hurt.

And he wouldn't be able to until she could stop crying herself to sleep.


	146. Shopping

Drabble 146 – Shopping (courtesy of Sphersian)

Rick knocked on the door and instantly regretted it when he heard a crash followed by Dana screaming something unintelligible.

A moment later the door opened and a frazzled looking Max looked at Rick like he never saw him before. After a moment Max snapped himself out of it and invited Rick in.

The place was a disaster area. Food was all over the floor, and where there wasn't food there were toys.

Max saw the question in Rick's eyes. "Miriya had a rough day."

Rick nodded. "Where is she now?"

"Getting some therapy."

"What!?!"

Max sighed. "She went shopping."


	147. Shadows

Drabble 147 – Shadows (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

They were used to fighting.

They fought amongst themselves during the Global Civil War. Then they fought the Zentraedi, followed by the Invid and once again members of their own race. Some of them had even fought the Robotech Masters.

Four different opponents, with different tactics and different mecha. Yet despite those differences they all had one thing in common: they were direct in their warfare. There was no trouble finding your enemy on the battlefield when you fought them.

These new enemies however, lived in and came from the shadows.

That was new for them, and it was costly.


	148. Gossip

Drabble 148 – Gossip (courtesy of Sphersian)

There were those that said it was a fine art, and that those who did it well had an innate gift that honed itself over years and years of practice.

There were others who said that it was an acquired trait.

There were those who decried it as something evil.

There were those who believed that it was, if not necessary, definitely invaluable.

There were many thoughts about it to be sure. There were many differing opinions.

Yet no matter what side of the fence people were on, all agreed that Kim, Sammie and Vanessa were the queens of gossip.


	149. Enjoyment

Drabble 149 – Enjoyment (courtesy of Knights Templar)

"OW!" yelled Baker as Jean pulled a piece of shrapnel from his body.

She didn't say anything as she maneuvered to get another piece, but she was unable to keep the smile from her lips.

Neither was Karen.

"Tell me again how you managed to get shrapnel in the ass, Jack," said Karen way too gleefully.

Baker was about to tell her something nasty when another sharp pain from his wounded posterior stopped him.

Instead he said, "I'm glad you're getting some enjoyment from my pain, Karen."

"Enjoyment?" asked Karen. She leaned in closer and whispered, "You have no idea."


	150. Regal

Drabble 150 – Regal (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Admiral on the bridge!"

Rick waited to let Lisa walk onto _her_ bridge for the first time in over a year, since the Regent's attack put her in a wheelchair.

She'd declined the many times he'd offered to take her to the bridge, saying the next time she went onto the bridge of her ship she wanted walk onto it herself.

He was glad that she waited, because when she walked out onto the bridge with her head held high, he realized that he had never before seen anyone or anything look as regal as she did at that moment.


	151. Desire

Drabble 151 – Desire (courtesy of Alucard491)

Breetai tapped his thumb against the arm of his command chair. He could not get her off of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. He could not forget how her lips felt when they were pressed against his, nor could he forget the way her skin felt against his.

Kazianna was always in his thoughts and he wanted to be with her all the time. He was beginning to wonder if he had been infected with some sort of virus.

When he asked Exedore about it, his trusted advisor stated, "It is desire, my lord. You desire her."


	152. Reflection

Drabble 152 – Reflection (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"You're an idiot, Baker!" shouted Rick. "You've hurt Karen with your rude and disrespectful comments one too many times." Rick looked Baker in the eyes and said as calmly as he could, "She can keep up with you on every level; maybe even outdo you on most and even though she doesn't show the pain it's there."

Rick sighed as he reset his thought pattern and looked at the young man who could have been a reflection of his younger self from so long ago. "She's a smart, beautiful woman, Baker. I know it hurts her. Trust me…I've been there."


	153. Freefall

Drabble 153 – Freefall (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

There were many times when Rick felt as though he had no control over a situation.

And he thought being in a freefall was the worst. Being in a freefall and being unable to do anything about it was the sort of thing that made your heart stop and your life flash before your eyes.

He always wondered about people who did it on purpose, chalking their excitement up the fact that they knew they would survive.

As his canopy lifted after he landed next to the burning SDF-1, his heart was acting as though he were in another freefall.


	154. Fire

Drabble 154 – Fire (courtesy of Alucard491)

Lisa stood on the bridge of the SDF-3 and glanced at the threat assessment boards. The enemy was approaching with all due haste and her people were waiting for the word, that one four letter word that would be the starting point for getting so many people, alien and human, killed.

It had to be done, she knew, and the time for debate had long since passed. Yet she always wondered about it for a moment before she uttered that word, if time permitted.

Lisa stared straight ahead, took a deep breath and in a calm voice she commanded, "Fire."


	155. Headstrong

Drabble 155 – Headstrong (courtesy of MsHayes)

"Why are they like it, sir?"

Rick shot a 'what now?' look to Max across the table and then focused on Baker.

"Why are who like what, Baker?"

Baker looked to the two piloting legends. "Women, sir. Why are women always so headstrong?"

Rick glanced at Max, and the smile he was trying to hide made him feel better about the smile that came to his own lips.

"Believe me, Baker," Rick said, "it comes in handy sometimes."

When Baker saw Max nod enthusiastically in agreement, he turned and walked away, wondering what the hell they could've meant by that.


	156. Enthusiasm

Drabble 156- Enthusiasm (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Out on the runway?" asked Miriya in disbelief.

Lisa nodded and smiled widely as she remembered. She was inspecting the Skull squadron before they left to go to New London for three weeks.

Without warning, the Veritechs all switched to Battloid and pointed their weapons to the sky.

Lisa was so caught up in the sight that she didn't notice Rick pull a small box from his pocket and get down on one knee. He asked, and when she said yes the Battloids fired into the air.

"And then he kissed you?"

"Oh yes," replied Lisa happily, "with great enthusiasm."


	157. Inferno

Drabble 157 – Inferno (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen…and for those of you in California currently under the threat of the wildfires, chin up and stay safe.)

"Thank you, young man," the old man said gratefully as he grabbed Rick's hand. "Thank you."

Rick guided the man into a chair. "You're welcome, sir."

Rick looked around and saw the faces of those he'd just helped rescue. They would live and rebuild, but it wouldn't be easy.

Then he saw someone who smiled when she saw him and he automatically went to her, bringing her into a tight embrace when they finally met.

He noticed those around them smile as they watched him and Lisa, realizing that the inferno they had just been rescued from didn't consume everything.


	158. Pining

Drabble 158 – Pining (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"I don't know what to do, Roy," said Claudia to the picture of Roy she held lovingly in her hand.

She was tired of work; tired of coming home to an empty house; tired of not having Roy around; and last but certainly not least she was very tired of the way Rick was treating Lisa.

"I know he's important to you, Roy, but Rick's an idiot."

Of course, so was Lisa, for pining away over a man like she was doing. Then it occurred to her as a tear fell onto Roy's picture that Lisa wasn't the only one.


	159. Goals

Drabble 159 – Goals (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Her life had been spent in the pursuit of obtaining objectives, of achieving goals. The only difference between before and now was that her goals were different.

Before, her goals had been military in nature. Defeating the enemy, or destroying a base, or repulsing an attack…those types of things.

Now her goals were different. Now her goals were personal.

Her goal of making him desire her was achieved. Her goal of making him crave her physical touch had been attained. Her goal of becoming his right hand had been accomplished.

Azonia's sole remaining goal was to make Khyron love her.


	160. Babe

Drabble 160 – Babe (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen…come on, you know I had to do it.)

"I love you too, Babe," said Rick before he cut the connection.

He looked across his desk to Max, who was looking at him with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

"What's wrong, Max?"

"Babe," Max said in a hushed voice even though they were alone. "You called her Babe! Are you crazy?"

Rick laughed. "I always call her that. Why?"

"Babe! The pig!" Max shook his head. "I called Miriya 'Babe" once, then someone told her about the movie and she nearly killed me."

Rick smiled. "Max you've got to be kidding…" Rick stopped then said, "Maybe you're right…"


	161. Spice

Drabble 161 – Spice (courtesy of Sithknight-Galen)

Rick hugged Lisa to him, then looked up to the 'Happy Birthday Rick!' banner. His friends surrounded them, cheering, clapping their hands and calling his name.

He'd been hoodwinked! He had no idea what she had been up to, even though in retrospect he should have caught on.

He looked into her eyes and said, "Thank you."

She smiled. "I had some help from Jean and Miriya."

"Well, you girls did a great job."

"You know what they say about girls, Rick…sugar and spice and everything nice."

He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "And I love your spice."


	162. Twins

Drabble 162 – Twins (courtesy of Sphersian)

"I've fought against the Invid, Doctor," said an exasperated Jack Baker. "I've done things that would make the average Joe faint on the floor! What the hell is wrong with my wife?"

He and Karen had only been married for six months when she started getting sick in the mornings. He didn't have a clue as to what was happening, but Karen almost seemed excited about it, though in her usual effort to drive him insane she said nothing about it.

The doctor took pity and said, "She's pregnant."

Jack absorbed that information. "That's not so bad."

"With twins."

THUD!


	163. Sight

Drabble 163 – Sight (courtesy of RDFan)

"You're a sorry sight, Rick," said Max with a smile on his face.

"There are so many things I could call you right now, Max, but I know you're right," replied Rick.

His dress uniform was in ruins, with stains ranging from grease to mud and even a spot of blood from the cut he had on his hand.

Who knew changing a tire could be so perilous?

"She looks great," said Max as he looked out onto the floor.

Rick followed his gaze. Lisa looked gorgeous in her dress uniform…she always did.

"Yep," he said, "she's a beautiful sight."


	164. Heartfelt

Drabble 164 – Heartfelt (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Admiral Henry Gloval puffed on his pipe as he read the latest condolence letter he'd written.

He'd written far too many of them in his career, especially since he took command of the SDF-1. He'd hand-written each and every one of them, and signed them personally. When the SDF-1 was in deep space, he wrote the letters and stored them until such time as they could be delivered to Earth.

He tried to make the letters as personal as possible, but he had no doubt that no matter how heartfelt his sentiments were it didn't matter to those left behind.


	165. Sisterhood

Drabble 165 – Sisterhood (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Lisa had been working the room, as the saying went, ever since her dance with Rick ended. She'd hoped that after their vows they'd be able to spend some time alone together.

It was not to be.

Jean grabbed Lisa by the arm and pulled her to a group of waiting women, a group that included Miriya. Jean pulled Lisa into the middle of the group, which then closed in around her, closing her off from the rest of the room.

"What's going on?" asked Lisa.

Miriya hugged her friend and said, "Welcome to the sisterhood of married women, Lisa."


	166. Tantrum

Drabble 166 – Tantrum (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Four year old Bowie stamped his feet on the floor while moaning quietly that he wanted to stay at Dana's house for a sleepover. A few moments later he stopped after Jean explained the reasons that he couldn't.

"I'm sorry about that little tantrum," Jean said to Max as Bowie went to tell Dana the bad news.

Max looked down the hall to see Dana stomping angrily towards him. "Are you kidding, Jean? Watch this."

Thirty minutes later Dana was still screaming and punching and kicking the couch when Max leaned over and said to Jean, "Now that's a tantrum."


	167. Laughter

Drabble 167 – Laughter (courtesy of RDFan)

"You look like crap, Karen," said Jack with far too much enthusiasm for Karen's liking.

She licked her tongue out at him and groaned.

"What do you want, Baker?" she asked using his last name as a sign that he was on thin ice.

"Nothing," replied Baker. "I'm here to cook you dinner."

Karen smiled, then let loose a giggle, which in turn turned into a raucous bout of unfettered laugher. After a minute she got up and headed for the kitchen.

"I thought you had a headache," Baker said.

Smiling, she responded, "I guess laughter is the best medicine."


	168. Passion

Drabble 168 – Passion (courtesy of MsHayes)

Rick looked over to Lisa and repressed a smile. In all their years together, he never told her how much he adored the way the tip of her tongue peeked out through her lips when she was really concentrating on something.

He moved behind her, and then reached down and began massaging her shoulders. A moment later he leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck and was rewarded with a contented sigh from her.

She turned her head around to look at him. "You really love me, don't you?"

"With a passion," he replied before kissing her passionately.


	169. Grudge

Drabble 169 – Grudge (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Max looked at Miriya with a mixture of anticipation and dread. 

She had just been beaten in a simulated dogfight with one of the new hotshots from the academy, and now she was walking toward him like a lioness on the hunt.

Max felt bad for the kid.

His surprise was immeasurable when she shook the boy's hand and told him that he flew superbly. When she walked back to him, all Max could do was stare at her.

She seemed to notice. "Now Max," she said sweetly, "you of all people should know that I don't hold a grudge."


	170. Water

Drabble 170 – Water (courtesy of Alucard491)

They hated physicals, and as such Rick and Max both routinely avoided getting them done. Rick had even once gone so far as to pull rank on Jean to get out of it.

Naturally Jean appealed to someone who outranked them both.

Lisa had been incensed. Miriya hadn't been happy either. And so it was that all three women were present during their laps around the track.

They stayed still as Jean took some readings, and remained silent as the three women left.

When they were gone Max asked breathlessly, "You okay, Rick?"

All Rick could manage was, "Water…please."


	171. Ramen

Drabble 171 – Ramen (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen. Where'd you come up with that one SK-G?)

"Something smells good," commented Lisa as she sauntered into the kitchen.

Rick smiled and turned to face her. "Ramen soup," commented Rick. At her blank stare he explained, "Ramen. It's a noodle that you put in soup, chicken in this case." He turned around and got some on a spoon, then held it up for her to try. He tried not to concentrate too much on the way her lips puckered as she blew onto the steaming spoon before opening her mouth and moving forward to capture it.

"That's good," she said before she kissed him hard, "but that's better."


	172. Lazy

Drabble 172 – Lazy (courtesy of Alucard491)

"For an ace pilot you're awfully lazy, Roy."

Roy opened his eyes, looked up to Rick and feigned hurt. "Lazy, Little Brother? That hurts." Roy let his feet drop from the table he had been resting them on and went on. "I work very hard, thank you very much, and if I want to sit here with my feet up and relax I think I'm entitled to it."

"Gee Roy, don't get your shorts on a knot. Max and I were wondering if you wanted to go out on the town tonight."

"Not tonight, Little Brother. I'm too damned lazy."


	173. Time

Drabble 173 – Time (Sorry about the long layoff everyone, but with two kids and the holidays, there really hasn't been time for writing. But, we're back into the swing of thing s so I hope that my little muse starts churning out some stuff.)

"You're still not done?"

Max looked over his shoulder to see an amused Rick watching him. "No, Rick…I'm not done yet."

He'd been trying to get the massive swing set together for weeks, but every time he tried to get the cursed thing finished something happened. Miriya would need some help, or Dana needed his attention, or there would be an attack somewhere…

"If you don't finish that soon Dana will have to swing in the snow."

…or his best friend would nag and torment him.

Max sighed. "It's true you know. Time…it's ongoing but there's never enough of it."


	174. Brave

Drabble 174 – Brave (courtesy of hippogriff-tamer)

"What did you tell him?" Dana asked after Vince left.

Bowie wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to face his best friend. She seemed to be so strong in the face of their parents leaving to go on the SDF-3. It didn't seem to bother her at all, though he knew better. Still, he wished he could hide it as well as she could.

"I told him I'd be brave," he said finally.

"That's the spirit, Bowie!" yelled Dana with a slap on his back. She pulled him into a tight hug and whispered, "We'll be brave together."


	175. Trust

Drabble 175 - Trust

Marie glared at Sean as he chatted merrily with one of the nurses while visiting Dana after a training exercise mishap. Luckily it was just a few bumps and bruises.

The nurse's laughter brought back the memory of when Sean visited her in the hospital after she'd been shot down during the war and her blood began to boil.

"Hey, Beautiful."

Her sharp look must have told Sean something because he added, "Come on, Marie, you know you're…"

She leaned in close enough to kiss him, but moved away suddenly before touching him saying, "You're lucky I trust you, Phillips."


	176. Guitar

Drabble 176 – Guitar (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

She still remembered the last time she had a guitar in her hands, and even the memory of the wooden instrument in her hands brought a heaviness to her chest.

It was the night Roy died, of course. He plucked at the strings while she made her pineapple salad, until he fell forward onto the floor.

She picked up the guitar and moved it out of her way when she rushed to his side. The sight of Roy's blood and his still body terrified her…even now.

That was the last time she held a guitar in her hands. His guitar.


	177. Heaven

Drabble 177 – Heaven (courtesy of hippogriff-tamer)

Rick had no idea if there really was a Heaven, or a God for that matter. Still, he liked the idea of a place where pain and suffering weren't felt or experienced. He could really get behind a place where love and peace were the way of things; where no one would be in want or need of anything.

"_Then again_,"he thought as he felt her stir beside him, _"I have that in his arms right now."_

"What are you thinking about?" asked Lisa when she looked up to him.

He smiled and kissed her forehead before saying, "Heaven."


	178. Microwave

Drabble 178 – Microwave (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"What in the hell are you doing, Max?" asked Rick as he walked up beside his friend. In Max's shopping cart rested four microwave ovens.

"I need a new microwave," stated Max as casually as he could.

"What happened this time?"

Max started pushing the cart along. "Dana decided to try a little experiment with oatmeal, paper clips and something that I haven't been able to identify."

Rick managed to keep from laughing out loud by limiting it to a smile. "So why do you have four of them in the cart?"

"They're on sale," said Max with a grin.


	179. Halo

Drabble 179 – Halo (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"So how's Dana these days, Max?" asked Rick. He hadn't seen the little girl since her fifth birthday a couple of weeks earlier, and Max had mentioned then that she wasn't getting much sleep.

Max sighed and rubbed his hands roughly over his face. "She's fine. She's just so full of energy that she can't go to sleep until very late. And she's so devilish."

"Daddy!" roared a voice. They turned to see Dana looking at them angrily. "I'm an angel," she said, then she pointed to the empty space above her head and added, "I gotta halo and everything!"


	180. Clown

Drabble 180 – Clown (courtesy of hippogriff-tamer)

"I'm serious, Rand," Rook called from the shoreline. She cupped her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. "You're going to fall in…again!"

Every time he went fishing he'd pull on a pair of rubber boots and wade out into the river to a flat rock, then get up on the rock and eventually fall in.

He turned to tell her something but his boot slipped on the wet rock, sending him crashing into the water.

When he made it to shore a minute later Rook handed him a towel and said with a grin, "You're such a clown."


	181. Missing

Drabble 181 – Missing (courtesy of Sphersian)

"I'll see you at lunch?" asked Lisa as she turned to head for the bridge.

"Yeah," replied Rick in a voice that made her stop. He sounded unsure and a little confused.

"Something wrong, Rick?"

He looked through the folder he had been carrying and said, "Something's missing."

"What?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Everything seems to be here but it feels like something is…"

He looked up and saw the concern in her emerald eyes and it hit him. He walked over, put his hand on her cheek and kissed her gently. "There. That's what was missing."


	182. Audience

Drabble 182 – Audience (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

They were at it again, and everyone was watching…again.

They yelled and they pointed at each other for nearly ten solid minutes until Karen drew her right hand back and slapped Baker across his face so hard that it echoed throughout the hangar deck.

She stormed off leaving Baker dazed and confused. Finally he went after her and by the time he approached her quarters he was pretty pissed.

He stormed in and ran straight into a very passionate kiss.

When the kiss ended he asked breathlessly, "Why the slap?"

Karen smiled. "Had to give the audience a good show."


	183. Wanderlust

Drabble 183 – Wanderlust (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"What's wrong with you?" asked Rook.

Startled, Rand quickly closed his notebook and hid it underneath his coat. "Nothing! Nothing's wrong! How are you?"

Rook put her hands on her hips and gave Rand THE look, the one that made him want to face a squad of Invid rather than face her.

He swallowed hard and passed the book to her and she opened it up and read what he had written.

"Wanderlust," she said. "The word you're looking for is wanderlust."

Rand took the book back and reread what he'd written about himself.

"Yeap, that's the word all right."


	184. Life

Drabble 184 – Life (courtesy of Alucard491)

He remembered asking Roy more than once what kind of life being a soldier was. He wasn't really curious, of course. He meant it more as a statement, saying that Roy was nothing more than a killer and being a killer wasn't much of a life at all.

Roy always took it in stride and never took offence to it.

After years of service, Rick finally understood just what kind of life being a soldier really was.

It was a life of honor; of protecting those who couldn't protect themselves; of defending those he loved.

It was a worthy life.


	185. Hurt

Drabble 185 – Hurt (courtesy of RDFan)

It hurt when her mother died, leaving her with a father who was away more often than not and no other family to speak of.

It hurt when Karl left and didn't come back so she did what she had to do and threw herself into her career.

When Roy died and the Earth was nearly obliterated, it all hurt but she found a way to go on.

But nothing hurt quite so much as when she overheard Rick tell Minmei she could stay with him.

And unlike those other times, Lisa didn't know how to recover from that hurt.


	186. Valkyrie

Drabble 186 – Valkyrie (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"We need a designation for the transformable aircraft," proclaimed Emil Lang. He stopped his scrutiny of the specs and turned to look at the group of scientists behind him. "Would any of you like to make any suggestions?"

There was complete silence. He would never understand why such gifted and brilliant scientists were intimidated by him.

There was a whisper from the rear of the group, which parted to reveal the most timid person of the team.

"Excuse me?" said Lang.

"Valkyrie," repeated the woman. "When a warrior died in battle Valkyries carried him to Valhalla."

Lang nodded somberly. "Fitting."


	187. Frost

Drabble 187 - Frost (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Rick sighed as she walked in without bothering to send a glance his way. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she got a sandwich and cup of coffee. She walked towards the tables and stopped, apparently looking for something and he realized what when Claudia called out to her.

She sat down at Claudia's table facing him, yet she didn't look at him. A definite and very heavy frost had developed in their relationship, and he didn't like it. He missed her. A lot.

He was just about to curse his stupidity when it happened.


	188. Thaw

Drabble 188 – Thaw (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

It wasn't much. Just a little glance and half a smile. The fact that she probably didn't even realize he saw her didn't matter. In fact, it meant more that way. After all, if she didn't know he'd seen her smile at him, then it must have meant that she didn't really hate him after all. Right?

Rick walked out of the Mess and smiled himself. She had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since their failed picnic, when he saw her at all.

His smile widened. Maybe a thaw was coming in their relationship.

He certainly hoped so.


	189. Earth

Drabble 189 – Earth (courtesy of Alucard491)

Earth.

Some people considered it home, like her parents and the Admirals Hunter. They always regaled her with stories of Earth, about its green-blue oceans, lush green forests and clear blue skies. They showed her pictures of Earth before and after the Zentraedi nearly destroyed the planet in all its splendid glory. They were nice pictures, but she still couldn't understand why they were so enamored with it.

But whatever it was, she was about to fight and possibly die for it. She hopped into her Alpha, Skull One as it turned out, and hoped the Earth was worth it.


	190. Kamikaze

Drabble 190 – Kamikaze (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Do you know why I've called you here?" Baker asked the pilot standing before him.

"Yes, sir."

"Well I'm going to tell you anyway! You broke formation, broke radio silence and haphazardly wasted your ammunition which is a sure way of getting yourself killed and your mecha destroyed. With your attitude I could have lived with the first part, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let you lose an Alpha. You're grounded! Dismissed!"

The young man scurried from the room and Karen said from behind him, "You do remember that we used to call you 'Kamikaze Baker', right?"


	191. Flesh

Drabble 191 – Flesh (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Grel didn't approve of what Khyron and Azonia did. The way they touched and talked to each other simply was not the Zentraedi way. It was bad enough that they were constantly touching lips, but when it went beyond that his stomach would churn uncontrollably.

Until Zelene kissed him. The Micronians would have called her very beautiful, though he never noticed until she put her hands on his face and pressed her lips to his. He knew what to do, thanks to watching Khyron repeatedly kiss Azonia.

And finally Grel understood why Khyron allowed himself the pleasures of the flesh.


	192. Sorority

Drabble 192 – Sorority (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Dana didn't know Maia very well.

Well, she didn't really know her at all actually. They were raised in different galaxies after all, literally and figuratively.

All Dana knew for certain was that her younger sibling was a formidable pilot, talented and ballsy enough to be given command of the elite Skull Squadron…their father's squadron. And while she would allow herself to be jealous of Maia for having their parents with her for all of her life, Dana could still be proud of her for being a warrior like their mother and herself.

The Sterling Sorority of Warriors.

Damn proud.


	193. Caress

Drabble 193 – Caress (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

She had dreamed many times about what his touch would feel like. True she had held his hand before, embraced him many times and kissed him on several occasions, but she never felt his hands against the bare skin of her back or stomach.

It was that thought that went through her mind as his fingers danced ever so slowly downward along the path from her chin to her navel.

The thought was fleeting however, for when his hand slipped underneath her lacy undergarment the only thing Lisa could think about were the feelings Rick's gentle caress awoke within her.


	194. Wind

Drabble 194 – Wind (courtesy of Alucard491)

There were times when the wind was at her back to prod her along, giving her a push when she needed it.

There were times when it faced her and made her slow down and think, making her consider her course of action.

There were other times when it was simply random air patterns that swirled around her for no reason.

As she stood on an outdoor balcony of the SDF-1, it seemed to be telling her something important, profound and very painful.

She closed her eyes and repeated what she heard from the wind. "Face it. You've lost him."


	195. Adulation

Drabble 195 – Adulation (courtesy of Knights Templar)

Rick stood on the stage, uncomfortable under the figurative spotlight of the award ceremony.

The Skull was being honored en masse for their heroic actions during Khyron's final assault, the assault that claimed the lives of so many of their friends.

It seemed wrong in the face of such loss and the sadness in Lisa's eyes told him she agreed.

On top of it all, he was personally being honored for his actions.

A minute later he stood in the exact same spot with a new medal pinned to his chest thinking the adulation given to him was seriously misplaced.


	196. Infatuation

Drabble 196 – Infatuation (courtesy of MsHayes)

The infatuation with Minmei's music never died on Earth. Even after she left with the REF on their mission to Tirol, her music was in high demand.

It may have even been more in demand, as seemed to happen to artist's creations after they were removed from the public eye.

Even the new generation knew of Minmei, her music and her place in history. How could they not? Her voice had helped defeat an overwhelming enemy. And so it came that people wanted to know more about Minmei the person.

And so it was that a new infatuation was born.


	197. Wings

Drabble 197 – Wings (courtesy of Annomnus flyer)

Maia looked down from the balcony that hung above the hangar deck. An hour earlier she graduated from the Academy and finally had her wings.

Of course, that didn't tangibly mean anything. She was the daughter of Max and Miriya Sterling…flying was in her blood and she'd been in the cockpit so many times before her fifth birthday that it was ridiculous.

To her however, receiving her wings was a new beginning, a chance to earn something: respect. She had that now, but it was given to her because of her parentage.

Her wings would help her to change that.


	198. Kiss

Drabble 198 – Kiss (courtesy of Annomnus flyer)

"But what did it mean?" asked Rick as he sat down in his temporary quarters aboard Breetai's flagship. He'd been going over it ever since returning from their successful assault on the Satellite Factory, trying to understand what it meant.

He looked to Max who had a small grin on his face. "I'm glad you're finding this amusing, Max."

Max shrugged his shoulders. "What did it mean to you?"

Rick stood up and turned back on Max to look out the window at the stars. "It was just a kiss, Max."

Not that he really believed that for a second.


	199. Idiot

Drabble 199 – Idiot (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Rick watched Lisa storm away from him, the picnic he had envisioned a distant memory. He hoped with all of his soul that she would turn around and forgive him this latest slight.

But it wasn't to be.

He looked down to the scarf she had thrust into his hand and thought about what could have been: he could have been having a nice picnic with Lisa in a beautiful patch of forest instead of being disappointed by Minmei and insulted by Kyle.

He looked up and as he lost sight of Lisa he muttered to himself, "I'm an idiot."


	200. 200

Drabble 200 – 200

Gloval looked through the papers with an air of a man who bore the weight of the world upon his shoulders.

He probably did bear that weight, actually.

He looked over the top edge of the stack of papers at his senior officers. Lisa, Rick, Claudia, Roy, Max and Miriya, Lang, Kim, Sammie and Vanessa…they all looked at him.

He cleared his throat and lowered the papers to his desk. "You say he has reached two hundred?"

"Yes, sir," answered Lisa.

"And we are all in here?"

"Yes, sir."

Gloval muttered something in Russian. "As if Khyron wasn't bad enough."


	201. Wine

Drabble 201- Wine (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

Lisa still remembered her first glass of wine that had actually been intended to take the edge off the pain.

It had been after Karl had left and she'd gone home for the weekend. The house was empty save for Mrs. Winter, the old housekeeper.

Lisa waited for the elder woman to go to bed, then she went into the lounge and poured herself a glass of red wine. She'd just finished the glass when Mrs. Winter walked in and gave Lisa a knowing look. She refilled Lisa's glass and said, "It will get better, dear. It will get better."


	202. Cry

Drabble 202- Cry (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

For someone who hated to cry, it came too easily for Lisa's liking, especially now that Rick was always watching her. She tried to hide it from him, but she knew it was useless.

She knew he was hurting too, but she simply couldn't overcome her own grief enough to help him. She couldn't talk to him about it yet, and the tears that she despised so much became her only emotional release.

Yes she hated to cry, but if there ever was a valid reason for Lisa Hunter to cry, losing the child living within her womb was it.


	203. Consequence

Drabble 203- Consequence (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Must we do this Khyron?" whispered Azonia to her lord's back. "We have full power and can leave this miserable planet. Must we…"

"Yes we must!" growled Khyron as he whirled around to face her with rage in his eyes. "For years these insignificant creatures have fought against me, and now with their precious SDF-1 powerless and useless, they will learn the consequence of their audacity."

Azonia opened her mouth to ask if it was necessary, but closed it without saying anything as Khyron added ominously, "Just as those who would disobey me would learn the consequence of their actions."


	204. Contraption

Drabble 204- Contraption (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

"Well, Captain Gloval? What do you think? Can we repair it?"

Henry Gloval just managed to keep from sighing. It was the fourth time the senator had asked him that question in the past two hours. He looked up past the brim of his officer's hat and gave the pompous ass a curt nod. "Yes, sir."

The senator turned away from Gloval and peered out the large window. "Lang and Fokker agree with you, Captain." He turned to look at Gloval as he said, "Make it happen."

As Gloval finally stood up he heard the senator mutter, "Damn alien contraption."


	205. Miracle

Drabble 205 – Miracle (courtesy of Airajuliafor and endlessXbliss)

"Karen!"

She was pissed off with Baker and the asinine comment he'd made earlier about female pilots and their abilities, but she stopped anyway.

When he reached her he took a deep breath and said as he exhaled, "I'm sorry, about what I said. Very sorry."

Without waiting he turned on his heel and walked away, and because of her absolute stupefaction she just couldn't follow.

"Are you all right, Karen?" asked a concerned Rick Hunter five minutes later. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Karen finally shook the cobwebs loose and smiled. "Not a ghost, sir. A miracle."


	206. Conniption

Drabble 206 – Conniption (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"And another thing, Phillips," yelled Marie, "you cross me off on final approach again and I'll…"

Sean closed his eyes and tuned out the rest of her rant. He thought he'd done well enough to stand there and listen to the first four minutes. He didn't open his eyes until a new voice was heard.

"Jeez, Marie…have a conniption why don't ya?"

Sean smiled as Marie's eyes bulged open and she turned and advanced upon Jack with what looked to be full blown scorn.

Sean casually saluted Jack and did the smart thing- he got while the gettin' was good.


	207. Reconciliation

Drabble 207 – Reconciliation (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

_How dare they suggest we try to reach out to Edwards with Lisa fighting for her life!_ he thought to himself as he listened to the proposal. He glanced over to Max and saw by the firm set of his jaw that he agreed. He looked farther down and saw Vince with his massive arms folded defiantly across his chest. After some time all those assembled looked to him and he stood.

With steely resolve in his voice he said, "There can be no reconciliation. Edwards will be brought to justice." His eyes swept the room. "No matter the cost."


	208. Navigation

Drabble 208 – Navigation (courtesy of Annomnus flyer)

"Face it, Rand," said Rook sourly. "You've gotten us lost."

She looked out her canopy towards Rand's Alpha and just caught Rand's head snapping towards her.

'What do you mean I got us lost? We've been flying north-northwest just like we're supposed to!'

Rook looked down to her own screen and cursed on it again for malfunctioning and making depend on Rand.

'Ooppss.'

She glared out the canopy again. "What!?"

'Well, I may have been misreading the…'

"Rand!" she exclaimed, the frustration thick in her voice.

'What can I say? They didn't teach us much about navigation at Forager School.'


	209. Excalibur

Drabble 209 – Excalibur (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Roy leaned back against the wall and stifled a yawn. Being briefed about the new mehca was about as boring as doing psych evaluations.

He was about to release the yawn when a small vibration hit his feet and worked its way up his body. A moment later there was another vibration, and another, and another until finally the vibrations turned into all out mini-earthquakes.

Finally the source of the shaking came into view and Roy went wide-eyed.

One of the techs noticed. "It's called an Excalibur."

Roy grunted. "Well, it sure isn't a sword in a stone is it?"


	210. Ambulance

Drabble 210 – Ambulance (courtesy of Aikiweezie)

The last time Rick had been in an ambulance was when he'd been shot down over the Pacific, but he couldn't remember it.

He sat back and allowed the medic to check a monitor, and then he leaned forward and recaptured Lisa's hand. Her hand grasped his and he looked into her eyes. He could see that she felt fine and hated being in the ambulance, but after hearing how she'd escaped the bridge of the now destroyed SDF-1, the medics had insisted.

Gazing into her eyes he realized he'd remember this ambulance ride for the rest of his life.


	211. Machismo

Drabble 211 – Machismo (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

The 15th was given an afternoon pass and Angelo and Sean ended up at the same bar, though Angie sat at the bar while Sean sat a table and tried his wiles on the local samples of femininity. Out of the corner of his eye Angie watched woman after woman walk away from Sean, all of them showing varying degrees of amusement.

Finally Angie stood and walked over to Sean.

"The women around here simply don't get my manliness," Sean complained.

Angie pointed to the big blob of red salsa on Sean's uniform. "Yeah, you're really oozing machismo there, Philips."


	212. Absurdity

Drabble 212- Absurdity (courtesy of Kellbella)

Admiral Gloval watched Lisa disappear through the hatch and sighed. When he'd decided that she was the only choice to command the SDF-2 and the mission to the home of the Robotech Masters, he had no idea that she would refuse and offer her resignation.

And all because Rick Hunter didn't have a clue as to what he wanted. It was clear to everyone, except possibly Rick and Minmei, that he was meant to be with Lisa.

Gloval sat down in his chair and decided to talk to Rick, for no other reason than to try to end this absurdity.


	213. Replenished

Drabble 213- Replenished (courtesy of Sphersian)

It was hard in those weeks following Khyron's final attack. The rebuilding effort began immediately, and pockets of Zentraedi resistance remained.

It was a lot of work for Lisa and Rick, Lisa being one of the most senior command officers and Rick the most senior combat pilot left alive.

Their expertise in their respective areas was in the highest demand, and by the end of every day they were both physically and emotionally exhausted.

Until they got home, and by the time they had to go and face it all again, they'd been replenished by each other's touch and love.


	214. Pillow

Drabble 214- Pillow (courtesy of Sphersian)

There were some things that Lisa salvaged after THE attack: a few pictures, some clothes, and a few personal items.

What she missed the most, however, were her pillows. They weren't too firm, too soft or too thick. They were perfect.

She had become so accustomed to cuddling the right side of her face into one while embracing the other against her stomach and chest that she hadn't been able to sleep for weeks after the attack.

Not until that magical night.

It wasn't until she woke up the next morning that she realized Rick's chest was THE perfect pillow.


	215. Car

Drabble 215- Car (courtesy of Sphersian)

By the time the couple was ready to leave the lot, the salesman was ready to rip the few remaining strands of gray hair from his head.

He'd never seen a couple have so much trouble deciding on what car to buy. They went from red, to blue, back to red, then from two-door to four-door.

Two hours later the man shrugged and said jovially, "Well, I guess that's what happens when you fly Veritechs more than you drive cars."

It was then that he realized they were Max and Miriya Sterling, two of the deadliest people on the planet.


	216. Flu

Drabble 216- Flu (courtesy of Sphersian)

Miriya had battled many enemies in her life, foes that wielded devastating weapons bent on depriving her of her life at all costs.

She'd faced merciless enemies in the Invid; intelligent and courageous foes in the form of the Micronians; familiar enemies in her fellow Zentraedi; and enemies whose names she couldn't recall thanks for the bloodlust imperative that once controlled her.

She had at one time thought them all to be the deadliest of creatures. That changed when she found herself defeated by another.

As she reached for yet another tissue, she cursed the insidious enemy called the flu.


	217. Carl

Drabble 217- Carl

(In memory of the father of Robotech, Carl Macek, October 12, 1951 – April 17, 2010)

* * *

"I can't believe he's gone," said Lisa as she stared out the window. Somehow hearing the news made the rainy night that much darker and bleaker.

"I know what you mean," said Rick as he slipped his arms around her waist and hugged into her back. He rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered, "I can't imagine where I'd be if it weren't for him."

Lisa closed her eyes and cuddled her cheek against his. "I know what you mean."

The two lovers stilled and peered out into the night, saying with one voice, "Good-bye, Carl. We'll miss you."


	218. Drama

Drabble 218 – Drama (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

Angelo sighed and just barely resisted the urge to slam his head into the nearest door.

He'd joined the military because it was all he ever wanted to do. It was supposed to be simple: train and follow orders.

But then Dana had come along and it all went south. The aliens showed up and she started going bonkers over Zor. And then Sean and Marie started in on each other. And Bowie started going gaga over some alien dame.

Angelo sighed again. The last thing he needed and had expected to find in the army was all this drama.


	219. Teaching

Drabble 219- Teaching (courtesy of Annomnus flyer)

Miriya had learned many things from Max in the time they'd been married, things that most Micronians would have found mundane- making coffee, making the bed, washing the laundry and a multitude of other things.

So it was when Max taught her how to put a diaper on their daughter, she felt compelled to thank him.

"Thank you, Maximillian," she said as she cuddled her daughter to her chest.

"For what?"

"For teaching me so much."

Max gave his wife a warm smile. "Well, you don't have to thank me. There's a lot more teaching for me to do yet."


	220. Bedroom

Drabble 220- Bedroom (courtesy of Sphersian)

The house was a standard officer's quarters, and it was virtually identical to the one he'd had in New Macross before Khyron's suicide attack. It was the same size and laid out the same way with identical amenities and decor. The carpet was the same, the furniture was eerily similar, windows were the same and even the door knobs were the same.

The only thing about the house in Monument that was really noticeably different for Rick, was the bedroom. And that wasn't so much about the bedroom itself as it was about the woman he was sharing it with.


	221. Twinkle

Drabble 221- Twinkle (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

There was something about her eyes.

Blind. Stupid. Ignorant. Obnoxious. Distracted. Immature. Take your pick.

For whatever reason, Rick had been too blind to see it right away.

After he'd grown up- maybe immature is the best choice after all- it was so easy for him to see that he kept berating himself for not seeing it sooner.

Now he could see the twinkle in them when Lisa looked at him. Now he could see them twinkle when she was happy.

They would twinkle like stars and now that he could see that, it took his breath away every time.


	222. Captivating

Drabble 222- Captivating (courtesy of Kellbella)

It was always a little funny to Karen the way the room would come to a standstill whenever she and Jack got into it. It didn't matter where they were, it was always the same. They'd start arguing and everyone would stop what they were doing and watch.

Forget funny. It was starting to piss her off.

She asked a friend about it after a nasty argument with Jack.

"Are you kidding, Karen?" the friend said as though it were obvious. "You two going at it is captivating. You know it's going to be ugly, but you can't turn away."


	223. Banana

Drabble 223 – Banana (courtesy of werelemur)

Lisa watched as the medics lifted Baker onto the stretcher. He'd been found unconscious, bruised and battered face-down on the deck.

"Don't worry, Admiral," said her security chief. "We'll catch whoever did this."

Lisa nodded, though her attention remained upon Baker as the medics started to wheel him away.

"That won't be necessary, sir."

Lisa looked to Karen who had been crouched over to look at something. The younger woman turned to face them and held what she'd found up for them to see.

Karen nodded towards the banana peel and said with a smile, "I've already found the culprit."


	224. Queen

Drabble 224- Queen (courtesy of Sphersian)

Rick's blood boiled when the words hit his ears.

_Ice Queen._

There was no doubt the men were talking about Lisa- both were pilots and had recently been singled out by Lisa (and at various times over recent months by every air traffic controller they'd dealt with) for reckless behavior in the air.

Rick tensed, ready to give them a piece of his mind.

The men walked the other way and he realized it was just as well. After all, before he'd taken the time to get to know Lisa he'd been just as ignorant as them.

And maybe worse.


	225. Tribulations

Drabble 225- Tribulations (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"The Collected Journals of Admiral Rick Hunter," read Max from the paper Rick had handed to him. "What's this?"

Rick gave Max a wry smile. "Some publishing company wants to publish some of my journal entries," he replied. "That's the title they've come up with. What do you think?"

Max shrugged as he sat back in his seat. "It's okay, I guess."

Rick raised a brow at Max. "Any suggestions?"

Max thought about it for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah. What about 'The Trials and Tribulations of Rick Hunter'."

Rick sat still for a moment before nodding and saying, "Fitting."


	226. Muscle

Drabble 226- Muscle (courtesy of Sphersian) A little over at 104 words.

Lisa groaned as she threw her tunic onto her bed. The groan was followed by contented sighs as she slipped the shoes from her feet and dropped them to the floor.

With an unladylike moan she plopped face first onto her bed. Every muscle in her body ached and she was so tired. Before she knew it a pair of strong hands were massaging out the kinks and caressing her body into bliss.

With a start she jumped up to find Rick nowhere in sight.

"Damn," she muttered as she realized she'd fallen asleep and that her body now ached for different reasons. "Damn."


	227. Dabble

Drabble 227- Dabble (courtesy of SithKnight-Galen)

"Hey, Lisa."

Lisa looked up from the progress report on the construction of New Macross and smiled. "Hello, Rick."

An awkward silence descended upon them, as it had every time they'd met since the final battle against Dolza.

They'd shared a very special moment after he'd saved her life, but it appeared destined to only be a moment.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come to my place for dinner?"

Lisa's first and truest response was, "You cook?"

Rick smiled. "I dabble. Interested?"

Lisa eyed Rick for a second but found only sincerity in his blue eyes. "Very."


	228. Flowers

Drabble 228- Flowers (courtesy of Sphersian)

The tip of Lisa's index finger tapped on the surface of her desk, the only sound in her office except the soft noise of her steady breaths. Her attention was focused completely upon the bouquet of fresh and beautiful wild flowers that her aide had just placed on her desk.

They were from Rick, of course. She was pissed at him- again- and he'd sent her flowers to apologize- again.

She sighed and leaned forward to inhale their fragrance. _Beautiful, _she thought with a smile. She plucked the card from the bouquet and read it aloud: "I Love you. Rick."


	229. Step

Drabble 229- Step (takes place during the comic PttSC)

Rick didn't know what to do. Every time he moved to help the woman he loved more than his own life, she would growl at him or Jean would glare at him.

He wanted to encourage her, but he wasn't sure he could speak without his voice breaking.

All he could do was hope, and try not to let the tears slip from his eyes as Lisa tried to take her first step in almost a year.

When her leg moved and she looked up and beamed at him, Rick nodded and calmly said, "I knew you could do it."


	230. Emerald

Drabble 230- Emerald (courtesy of Sphersian)

Harold Chalmers walked into his jewelry store and stopped when he saw two RDF officers, one with a mane of unruly dark hair and the other having tamer blue locks, standing in front of the glass case that held only the most expensive rings.

"The emerald matches her eyes, Max."

_Max Sterling._

"I know, Rick, but it's so expensive."

_Rick Hunter._

"Lisa is worth every penny."

_Lisa Hayes._

Harold walked up to them and nodded to his assistant. Once she left, Harold picked up the ring passed it to Rick. "You're in luck, young man. It's on sale today."


	231. Helmet

Drabble 231- Helmet

There were a few things that Rick had poked away that after some time had passed he couldn't remember the reason for keeping it in the first place.

That wasn't a problem with what he'd just found in the back of his closet. It was the helmet he'd worn the day of the battle against Dolza's fleet, the same one Lisa had worn after he'd saved her.

He'd never told her and he was certain she didn't know, but as his finger traced the three inch long gash on the top he knew that it had saved her life that day.


	232. Dense

Drabble 232-Dense (courtesy of Drew Michaels)

Roy had made him responsible for Max and Ben's safety. He'd failed, and because of that Ben was gone.

He wasn't surprised to find Lisa waiting for him after he had landed Skull One, and he blindly followed her as she led him to the Officer's Mess.

She set a cup of coffee before him, and when he looked up her emerald eyes were focused on him in a reassuring way.

"When I first met Ben," said Rick softly, "I thought he was kinda dense, but it didn't take long to realize that was the farthest thing from the truth…"


	233. Finish

Drabble 233- Finish (courtesy of IdiAmeanDada who suggested Incident, Room, Sit, and Finish. LOL)

Lisa's lips were blissfully swollen from the make out session that that had been so rudely interrupted. Despite the brevity of the kissing, it had been long enough for Rick to have undone three of the five buttons on her blouse while her mind had been focused on his lips.

She peered out through the bedroom door and heard him talking to whoever had knocked on the door. A moment later she heard the door shut and Rick appeared at the bedroom door.

Before he could say anything she glanced down to her blouse and said, "Finish what you started."


	234. Funerals

Drabble 234- Funerals (courtesy of Annomonus Flyer)

They were having another strategy session about the REF mission (or 'See how long Rick can stay awake session' as Lisa called them).

Rick had no idea what Reinhardt had been saying, but he was glad the meeting was ending. At least he thought it was until the woman he loved and knew how badly he hated these meetings cleared her throat.

"I do," Lisa said. "What about funerals?" After a few moments of awkward silence she added, "We're going to need them."

Again Rick marveled at how Lisa always thought of those critical things that others seemed to miss.


	235. Incident

Drabble 235- Incident (courtesy of IdiAmeanDada who suggested Incident, Room, Sit, and Finish. LOL)

Lisa looked around the table, and when none of the assembled officers had anything to add, she nodded and said, "Until tomorrow then."

Lisa remained seated as they left. When the last one closed the door behind them she looked to the only officer that had stayed behind. "Something to add, Admiral Hunter?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rick said. "About the incident this morning."

Lisa felt the blush hit her cheeks hard as she recalled their steamy romp in her office this morning.

While she'd been reminiscing he'd moved behind her to whisper in her ear, "I think it should happen again."


	236. Munchies

Drabble 236- Munchies (courtesy of Annomonus Flyer)

Baker approached the door to his and Karen's quarters, balancing the tray of goodies he'd managed to 'appropriate' from the Mess. It was a delicate operation, sneaking into the Mess and ransacking the stores so that his pregnant wife could satisfy her cravings.

He tried to open the door, but stopped when the tray teetered. He gulped and tried to figure out how to open the floor when it opened to reveal Karen. She grabbed the tray from him and waddled into their quarters, leaving him wondering if he would ever again be more important than a bunch of munchies.


	237. Soda

Drabble 237- Soda (courtesy of Doofus87)

Rick led Lisa into the Mess of the SDF-3, his hand holding hers lovingly as they walked. They had just about finished the final pre-launch inspection, leaving the Mess to last at his insistence. They were only a few feet inside when she saw it.

Lisa ran up to it and ran her hand over the top of it and said, "I can't believe you got this."

Rick smiled as he sized up the soda machine, an exact replica of the one they'd been accosted by the night of Minmei's movie premiere aboard the SDF-1. "I thought you'd like it."


	238. Bluff

Drabble 238- Bluff (A little 'Sit. Room Incident' teaser. *Insert maniacal laugh here*)

Rick thought over the options. He had no doubt that now that they knew it was Sue that had kidnapped Lisa, they would be able to find her. All they needed was time to go over Sue's movements over the last while, to retrace her steps.

"I know you, Rick. I know you're thinking that all you need is time to figure out where she is." Sue took his silence as confirmation and then played her trump card, hoping to bluff him into bed. "And you're right. Problem is, Rick, that she's been out of food and water for days."


	239. Presentations

Drabble 239- Presentations (courtesy of Annomonus Flyer)

One of the aspects of being an Admiral that Rick used to enjoy was giving deserving officers medals to celebrate acts of valor.

But then it had happened, during a medal ceremony for the Eagle squadron which was being cited for bravery in the defense of a stricken REF cruiser. All was well until the name of Lieutenant Cameron was called. A smiling Rick had waited for her with medal in hand totally unaware that she'd been killed in action. Since then he hated medal presentations because they reminded him of the truest axiom in war: victory had a price.


End file.
